Two Broken Halves Can Be A Whole
by SilentInMySanity
Summary: Graduates from 2016 England visit the Opera Populaire in 1870 France where Carlotta's temper forces one of the students to become understudy for one show and the Phantom is forced to teach her. Little does the Opera Ghost know how much his life will change from then on. Erik x OC Warning: This is no Mary-Sue-brings-Erik-magically-out-of-his-misery kind of story!
1. Chapter 1 - A Whole New World

**Summary:** 1950 a small part of France decided to go back to its roots and live in the late 19th century to escape the growing world economy and with that technology and all its dangers. As Graduates of England visit the Opera Populaire the Phantom is everything but pleased at the foul-mouthed young adults. Carlotta's abrupt leave forces the Managers to spontaneously pick a new Leading Lady which is in need of much more training than the Opera-staff alone can handle and so The Phantom himself is forced to teach the woman. Little does he know what this means for himself. Erik x OC

 _If you're expecting a Mary-Sue to magically bring Erik out of his misery and get him perfectly sane, you're wrong here._

Plays in the years 2016 ''and'' 1870.

 **Warnings:** Illegal fighting, injuries, drug use, mental illnesses

Rated **M** for later Chapters

 _Pagebreak_ means POV switch

 _-_ means it's just a time skip

* * *

 **Chapter 1:** A Whole New World

* * *

With a frown Madam Giry sinks into her chair, the envelope still in her hands. Inside are 7.000 Francs, as usual. Each month when the Phantom receives his payment, he gives half of the money to Madam Giry. But lately she noticed that something is changing. He is withdrawing himself more and more, even from her. Normally when they handled the money they used to chat, even if it was not for long. It was mostly about the Opera, about the choreography of the dancers and the singers. Matters about the choir the Opera Ghost personally 'discussed' with Monsieur Reyer. The Maestro is in this Opera for as long as she can remember, he knows of the Phantom's strict but professional way to handle the Opera and barely makes a fuss when he receives new instructions. Not even if they go against what the managers or the script says.

Other times they would talk about light themes. Books she brought him or about one of his new projects. Their conversations never lasted long due his obvious discomfort to be away from his dungeons for too long, but at least they happened. But now he barely stays long enough for her to finish telling him about important matters. She does not need to ask him what the reason for this is. She knows. Or at least she has an idea. You cannot expect somebody that lives isolated from the world and other people for as long as he has to be perfectly social. To be sane. The darkness and the loneliness are driving him madder with each passing day. They pull him deeper and deeper into his mania. She does not even want to imagine what his mind must be looking like. Not that she really could. Madam Giry considered many times about bringing him away from here. Maybe into the New World. He could find work there, a place to live. Maybe he would be accepted there. She is not asking for much, she just wishes for him to have a life in peace. A life where people do not fear his appearance and don't treat him like a monster. Perhaps it is already too much to ask for that. Perhaps he will live beneath the Opera for the rest of his life and eventually go so mad that he will not see another way for his pain to end but to end his life. Is that not how most geniuses find their end? By their own hand. Would it not even be for the best that way?

She shudders at that thought. Is he having the exact same thoughts? Will the reign of the Phantom of the Opera soon end for he is not there any longer? She made preparations for her death, but his never really occurred to her. Should anything happen to her in near future, Meg will receive a letter. A letter that will tell the secret her mother is hiding for such a long time now. It will also ask Meg to make sure he is still alive once in a while, to buy his groceries and anything else he is in need of. It is a lot to ask of her young daughter but she feels responsible for the man. With her death there would be no one left that knows him, no one that would try to care for him. There would be nothing that keeps him from drowning in his horrid mind. Now, at the age of 42, she cannot help but fear for the man's future life. Meg could at least keep on living in the Opera or start a life of her own, she is young, beautiful and smart. But he would be left without anything.

With a sigh she puts the money away safely and rises from her chair. She has not much time left, their guests will arrive any moment. As Maîtresse of the Ballet and 'right hand' of Monsieur Firmin and Monsieur André she is always present at important events. Greeting such special guests is part of these occurrences. Even though she has little faith that they will stay for as long as they planned too. After all The Phantom is everything but friendly with guests in his Opera…

There is no denying the fact that this 'world' is as impressive as they were told. The 7 graduates almost instantly shifted their attention from their phones to the area around them as soon as boat approached the docs. At their way to the Opera they tried to convince Mister Williams of taking a look at the town 'real quick' before going to their destination. But the 43 year old male knows them better than that. As soon as he allows them to take a look around 'real quick' he will need hours until they're all back in his sight. These kids make it hard for him to remember that they're legal adults and done with school now. At least they finally managed to shut their mouths now that they are inside the Opera and the two Managers are introducing themselves. The class is lead to the stage then where they meet the assemblage of the Opera. The two leading singers Carlotta Guidicelli and Ubaldo Piangi, the Maestro of the Orchestra Monsieur Reyer and the Maîtresse of the Ballet Madam Antoinette Giry. The graduates introduce themselves briefly before the performers go back to their rehearsals.

Not long into Signora Guidicelli's first line there's a sudden loud rustling coming from above and only moments later the curtain comes down. The people on the stage scream as everyone tries to jump out of the way. Mister Williams barely manages to pull one of his students aside in time before the curtain crashes to the ground and buries La Carlotta underneath it. The Diva cries out a high-pitched scream but she doesn't seem hurt. She just looks really angry. Nathan glances up into the darkness above the stage where the curtain should have been secured. There's nothing there that hints on what caused the incident. The Managers yell for a certain Buquet. The called man soon appears and announces his innocence. Mister Williams soon hears hushed whispers around him, like they know who is responsible for this. Nathan can pick up the words 'Ghost' and 'Phantom' a few times. Before he has the chance to really think about all of this, Carlotta is helped to her feet and begins to yell at the Managers who try their best to apologize and calm the raging woman.

'' For the past 5 years these things do 'appen! And did you stop them from 'appening? No! '' When Mister Williams looks around he finds most people shaking their heads with a sigh. Madam Giry seems almost annoyed, just like Monsieur Reyer. How often does this certain situation happen?

'' If you don't stop this thing from happening, this thing does not 'appen! Andiamo! '' The other graduates watch with amused expressions how the leading Lady and her assemblage leave very dramatically. Carlotta is soon out of sight but her loud complains still run through the Opera for a while until it lastly fades. Mister Firmin groans,

'' A full house André! We shall have to refund a full house! '' Mister Williams shakes his head and steps closer to the two clearly distressed men,

'' If it helps, we have a lot of great singers in our class. Perhaps one of them could do as a replacement for your Diva? '' Suddenly the Maestro turns to snap at Nathan,

'' There is no replacement for La Carlotta! Especially not some untrained girl without any stage experience! '' While he seems to dismiss the thought the moment he turns his back to the teacher again, the two Managers exchange a thoughtful glance,

'' We could cancel tonight's performance, the next one would be next weekend. That should be enough time to train one of the young women. '' The smaller man, Monsieur André offers. His partner nods,

'' Or, if that happens, for La Carlotta to return. ''

'' Messieurs, you cannot be serious. '' Monsieur Reyer abruptly asks, obviously very displeased by the made decision. André and Firmin shrug him off and turn their attention to the young women of Mister Williams' former class.

The 'casting' happens quickly. One after the other they get the music sheets and attempt to sing the song 'Think of Me' out of the Play Hannibal.

'' Mister Williams.. We do appreciate the trouble you put yourself through to make this casting. There are indeed a lot of young women in your class with beautiful voices but…'' Firmin begins, visibly disappointed by the outcome. André sighs,

'' Sadly none of them is capable of singing Opera. '' Mister Williams' eyes narrow slightly as he looks around, eying each student closely,

'' That wasn't everyone- '' He breaks off and slaps his palm against his forehead before glaring at the 5 people where actually 7 should be,

'' Where are Kat and Holly? '' The five graduates exchange mischievous glances with each other. Before any of them has the chance to answer their teacher, Monsieur André narrows his eyes in confuse,

'' 'Kat'? '' The two managers look at each other. Mister Williams sighs, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture,

'' One of our students. She's… she likes running off. -Okay guys, show of hands, who saw how she disappeared? '' He breaks off to glance at Jessie,

'' Jessie? '' His messy, dirty-blond hair falls into his eyes as he grins, green eyes staring back at the dark blue ones of his teacher. Slowly he rises his hand. It doesn't take long before the other 4 graduates raise their hands too, each of them grinning with both guilt and slyness. The two managers exchange another glance, barely capable to bite back the grin. The grin turns into a quiet chuckle as the young adults try to defend themselves,

'' She was really quick Mister Williams! '' Fiona, a young woman with blond, curly hair and light blue eyes says. Josh nods next to her, his short, brown hair barely moving on his head. His arm on Fiona tightens its grip a little,

'' Kat's all sneaky. She's like a Ninja, yo! We couldn't stop her! ''

'' I thought she'd be gone sooner. '' Andrea admits with a giggle. Emily smirks,

'' Yeah me too. ''

'' If it helps, Holly went after her. '' Jessie says with a shrug of his shoulders. Only moments later a loud screech runs through the Opera. Everyone except the class yelps or jumps.

'' OW! Ow! Ow! Ow! '' Every person on the stage watches how 2 women enter the room, coming from behind the stage. Monsieur André and Firmin bite back a grin as they realize why one of the women walks this bent over. The other woman, Holly, has a tight grip on her neck while obviously digging her fingers into Kat's muscles. Squirming and protesting loudly Kat trippels after her. As soon as they're back with the other students, Holly pushes her into the middle of the small crowd, a threatening glare in her eyes. Kat rubs her neck with a pained expression a second and glares then at Holly,

'' Why do you always do that! ''

'' Why can't you ever stay with the others! We're not even 10 minutes here and you run off! ''

'' I was just looking around- ''

'' You were running off. ''

'' I was- ''

'' Running off! You always do! And then something bad happens cause you bampot break anything or get yourself into trouble! ''

'' I did not! ''

'' You did! '' Mister Williams rubs his hands over his face, his face slightly twisted in embarrassment as he tries to avoid looking at the two managers and the assemble around them that stare amused at the two young adults. It's always the same, always has been. He was teaching this class for 7 years, saw the teenagers grow into adults. And while everyone kind of changed there are things that never changed. These fights between Holly and Kat is one of those things. The way Kat runs off to do whatever goes in her head. The way Holly notices before anyone else and goes after her. Mostly she comes back in with her before he even noticed both are gone. Sometimes he sends Holly after Kat because she's scared of her friend and listens to her better than to him. The others of the class always again celebrate her for those trips. Right now he's released that only 7 people joined the trip. He doesn't even want to imagine what chaos would already have come up if the troublemaker-guys would have joined troublemaker-Kat. The trip here was very expensive and not everyone wanted to spend the money just to visit a place that's still in 19th century. Through their school is very focused on arts, music and nature next to the normal learning material the idea to travel here after graduation came up. It's almost like another world. Emily, Fiona, Josh and Andrea joined both because they wanted to take the chance to see this place, and because they wanted to spend one last time with Kat. The 7 people have never been especially close. Andrea and Emily have always been best friends, like Kat and Holly. Josh and Fiona are part of the small clique of Andrea and Emily, they are a couple for two years now and are planning to move together as soon as they have the money. Mister Williams knows they're saving for a house outside of London. Jessie isn't friends with Kat and Holly for a long time. He joined the class only for graduation, 3 years ago. At first he walked around alone. At some point he and Kat started talking and suddenly Mister Williams saw him running around with the girls. But there was never a real tension between them, they got along quite well. Still, he should keep an eye on Kat. It's not only that she likes to run off, she also has the tendency to go to places she is not allowed to go and accidentally break things or say stuff that many consider as impolite. Sometimes it's meant to be impolite, sometimes she just talks before thinking. He groans,

'' Girls! '' Both stop in their bickering. While Holly sighs and looks to the ground, fully accepting that they are being rude, Kat snaps at him,

'' What! '' The moment the aggressive tone left her lips, Holly slaps the back of her head hard, whispering harshly at her to behave. Kat sighs and lowers her head in defeat, rubbing the aching spot.

'' Sorry…''

'' Holly, Kat, I doubt you heard what happened? ''

'' What? That I was attacked _again_? I did notice. ''

'' You deserved it. ''

'' I did not! ''

'' Ladies, please. '' Monsieur Firmin now steps closer, causing both women to abruptly look at him.

'' As we said before, we are the managers of this Opera. My name's Richard Firmin and my partner Monsieur Gilles André. '' Kat nods, her eyes a little wide, her lips slightly pursed,

'' Good for you. '' Another hit from Holly. A glare from Mister Williams. A round of giggles from the other graduates.

'' Stop it. ''

'' What, I was serious! That's awesome, leading an Opera and all. Fucking cool. Look at the stuff here! '' She points around and both managers find themselves smiling amused as Holly glares at her with a somewhat defeated expression,

'' You have to work on your way of phrasing things. '' She seems to think a moment before nodding and turning her attention back to both managers,

'' I apologize. Monsieur Firmin, Monsieur André, I was merely attempting to verbalize my amazement for your line of work. I hope my bad way of phrasing was not offensive. '' The managers exchange a surprised glance at each other, Mister Williams can't help himself as his eyes roll dramatically.

'' Show off. '' Kat shrugs her shoulders with a smirk but gives no further comment.

'' Holly, Kat, the Diva of the Opera left while you weren't here. If that's okay, could you try if you can sing her part? The others tried but it wasn't Opera enough. '' Both girls give him a look. Kat crosses her arms over her chest. Holly though abruptly nods and walks up to the two managers,

'' Yeah sure, if it helps. But I don't think I'm very good at that. '' Monsieur Firmin hands her the papers, a polite smile on his lips,

'' We are very grateful for every attempt. '' Holly offers a small smile in return before her eyes move to the notes. The music begins and Holly's voice begins to spread through the room. Her voice is not entirely unpleasant but very silent. There's no real passion behind it. Kat titles her head, Holly never really was extremely fond of singing in front of people. It took a long time before she could convince her to a Sing Star night. After the first half she stops,

'' Like I said… I'm not very good at it. ''

'' Thank you, for the try. '' Holly offers a shy smile and walks up to Kat to hand her the sheets. Kat's arms are still crossed over her chest and that doesn't change as Holly holds the papers out to her. She eyes the notes in her friend's hand and offers a small smile past her at the managers,

'' I pass, thanks. ''

'' Mademoiselle, it would be of great importance for the Opera to find an understudy for as long as La Carlotta is… away. '' She huffs,

'' What, so your Diva runs off and we have to pay for that? Lemme guess, Carlotta's the lady in her mid 30s, like this tall and in a really colorful dress with a real loud, kind of annoying, voice? '' Her voice holds every ounce of mockery she possesses. Monsieur Firmin and André look at each other,

'' Yes? ''

'' That woman's got the temper of a 4 year old and I bet you know that. Why didn't you look for a proper understudy before? '' She questions, sending a round of silence through the room. As the two managers don't answer right away she snorts. Her teacher takes a step closer to her, a stern expression on his face,

'' Kat, just go up there and sing. At least try. ''

'' We all know I sing all the time, love it. But I'm horrible at it. And to be honest I really don't want a curtain dropping down on me too. ''

'' So you heard what happened? '' Jessie asks. Kat shrugs. There aren't many people that ask for a stay in the Opera. They have had tours a while back but from what Kat heard they stopped that pretty soon. There were incidents, strange occurrences. The graduates are the first ones that will try to visit again after several years and because it is a long way with lots of efforts they will stay a month. And she will be damned if she just allows some self-proclaimed wannabe-ghost to kick her out of a place she had to pay a lot of money for.

'' As I said, your _Diva's_ go a loud voice. '' Mister Williams seems now really annoyed with her,

'' Okay that's enough Kat. Either you sing or you can consider yourself grounded. ''

'' What?! But- ''

'' Now Kat! ''

'' Yes _Sir_. '' She salutes with a sarcastic roll of her eyes. She snatches the papers from Holly's grip and stops in front of the choir. Her eyes briefly fly over the whole aria and the notes to it before nodding at the director. She follows the passing notes with her eyes and takes a breathe as the notes tell her to,

'' _Think of me, think of me fondly when we've said goodbye…_ _Remember me, once in a while please promise me you'll try. When you find, that once again you long, to take your heart back and be free. If you ever find a moment, spare a thought for me…_ '' The music becomes louder but as Kat lowers the notes to stop like Holly did at this point, Monsieur André motions the choir to keep playing before looking at her,

'' Please, continue. '' Her eyes widen in shock and distaste as she looks at both men, her eyes faintly moving to her class,

'' Seriously? ''

'' Yes, go on. '' She purses her lips but sighs,

'' _I never said our love was ever green or as unchanging_ \- '' Her voice makes an unpleasant screech but she regains her posture to quickly continue,

'' _...but if you can still remember stop and think of me. Think of all the things we've shared and see. Don't think about the way things might have been…_ '' She quickly picks up that this probably is supposed to sound sad so she changes her voice into a softer tone.

'' _Think of me, think of me waking, silent and resigned. Imagine me trying too hard to put you from my mind. Recall those day, look back on all those times, think of the things we'll never do. There will never be a day where I won't think of you…-_ '' As she notes are becoming higher again, she breaks off as she feels her throat going tighter and her voice threatening to screech again. Finally one of the managers seems to end this as the music softly ends. Kat breathes out released, her throat is aching from those high notes. She makes a move to hand the notes back to the choir but halts as she hears Monsieur André behind her,

'' We can work with that. '' Her expression drops and she spins around to look at them,

'' What now? '' Her eyes faintly asking for help from somebody of her class but they make no move to say anything as both Managers step closer to her.

'' You voice will need training but I think the time we have will be enough. ''

'' Huh? '' Her voice becomes around 3 octaves higher, her eyes wide open,

'' Madam Giry, would you please be so kind and show this young Lady everything she needs to know. ''

'' Wha…''

'' Of course Monsieur. '' The elder woman steps out of the crowd and bows her head, the cane tightly gripped in her hand as she walks up to the dumbfounded woman,

'' What. ''

'' Please follow me. '' Madam Giry motions her to follow her but Kat stays on her place.

'' B… but…'' Only as Holly nudges her from behind she sets moving to follow Madam Giry behind the stage and to a separate room that holds costumes and a dresser with a large mirror.

'' This is Signora Guidicelli's room. She prepares for her performances here. You will get another room of course but until then I will show you everything you need to know. ''

'' Look, Madam, I'm really not a good pick for this. I never had any voice training, I never sang on a stage -at least not solo- and I really don't have the voice for something like that. You heard it, I was screeching. ''

'' That is because you are untrained, not because you are unable. ''

'' How about both? ''

'' I will just faintly show you this room for now. You and your class surely will have a look around the Opera later. We will start with our training after dinner. ''

'' Why don't you take someone else that's working here? Surely I can't be the only one that has some kind of ability to sing this stuff? ''

'' I do know for certain that from my ballet no girl could sing those notes the way they're supposed to. Not even with training. Most girls do have a lovely voice but not one that is suitable for a leading role. ''

'' So you rather pick a punk with zero experience? No offense but that's not very smart…''

'' You will understand in time. ''

'' I'm 20 years old. You don't have to talk to me like I'm 4 and asking where Babies come from. I understand that finding someone proper would be hard and that you're happy for whatever you find but… I can't do this. '' Suddenly the older woman's eyes soften, her hand coming to Kat's shoulder in a comforting gesture,

'' We will see. If you are really incapable, we will find out in time. ''

* * *

After giving everyone time to get used to their rooms, the Managers held a rather fancy dinner. Kat was introduced as the understudy for La Carlotta what earned her several nasty glares of other women in the Opera. Dancers, singers for the Choir, even those who make the costumes. Kat noted mentally to herself that she'd better watch her steps for that month. It's not like she was begging on her knees to get that role. Well, the fact that she didn't have to sleep with the managers obviously is enough to give that hate some fire. Still, despite the glares in her direction none of those hags really dares to voice their thoughts. Not as long as the Managers where in the same room. The moment they all left the dining-room, the bickering started. Kat kept a cold attitude, not even glancing at them. After Dinner she was ordered into a large room that's obviously used for training the dancers. One wall is covered in mirrors, in another corner is a piano. Kat's class sat down quietly at one wall, not willing to miss what was going to come next. The Managers and Madam Giry put Kat in the middle of them. Right now she feels like a mannequin and that's everything but pleasant.

'' Mademoiselle you have to change your way of moving. '' Firmin states, being the first one to break the silence. Kat's eyes narrow in confuse as she looks down at her feet,

'' Why, what's wrong with that? ''

'' It's your hips. '' André chirps up, a small blush of embarrassment on his cheeks. The faintest smirk comes to the young woman's lips as said hip pushes out to the side demonstratively, her hands firmly on them,

'' _Excuse_ you? ''

'' The way they're moving…'' Firmin makes a gesture with his hand, moving his finger from side to side,

'' That swinging from left to right. '' Her grin drops,

'' Nobody ever complained about _that_. ''

'' It is… too seductive. '' The grin returns in a heartbeat, her voice changing into a smooth purr,

'' Now you're just flattering me. ''

'' Miss Jones…'' Madam Giry's voice is scolding, causing Kat to cross her arms in something like self-defense,

'' Oh come on. You can't tell me your Diva never swings her hips. ''

'' Not like that. I am not even sure those movements are normal. ''

'' It's useful if you want a regular- '' Before she can finish, her teacher leans in to her to make a gesture with his hand, telling her to close her mouth,

'' Stop talking. ''

'' Okay… Got it, not a good topic. -Anything else I gotta change? '' André and Firmin look at each other,

'' Oh where do we start…''

'' Your way of talking, moving, acting, reacting…''

'' You have to work on your posture and we have to give you fitting cloths. ''

'' Not to mention the hair…''

'' The hair has to go. '' André agrees. Kat's lips turn into a small pout,

'' Wow you really didn't need to think long about that…- Wait, what about my hair? '' Her eyes widen as she realizes that they said her hair needs to be 'gone'. Out of instinct her hands move to her head. Firmin shakes his head,

'' This color and the way it is cut, we cannot allow that on our stage. ''

'' But… But I just had this done a couple of days ago! It looks great! Look at the color, the red and the black look awesome together! '' André raises his hands, a silent gesture for her to calm. Right now Kat feels everything but calm. At this moment she's making mental notes to order a boat to take her back home tomorrow morning.

'' Mademoiselle, I do understand your dilemma but we cannot accept this certain cut on a stage. ''

'' Of course we will not expect from you to change the color or to cut it. The best solution would be a wig. '' Kat's face turns into a stubborn pout for a second before she gets a sudden excited grin,

'' Can I be blond? I've never been blond before. Never wanted to try it… but I never wanted to be a singer too so I guess if not now, when else? If it doesn't look good I can still switch to brown or something like that, right? ''

'' Of course we can arrange wigs in different colors. ''

'' Awesome. ''

'' We will also have to cover that tattoo. '' Kat looks down to the brass knuckles on her left breast with the words 'Tooth Fairy' below it in old letters. It looks like someone wiped over the ink what gives the whole picture a worn look. She nods, she expected that.

'' I can deal with that. What about the others, do I need to cover them too? '' André, Firmin and Madam Giry exchange a glance before Madam titles her head slightly,

'' If I may ask, where are they? ''

'' Well I have this small one here on my left hipbone…'' She lifts her shirt the faintest way to show a bat which looks like shattered glass. Around it are a few ''HA Ha Ha'' 's. The bat symbole is not completely filled out with black ink. Instead the word JOKER was messily written into it.

'' That's a Batman and Joker tattoo. And I got this other one here on my ribs…'' She lifts the shirt a little higher to show the colorful flag on the right half of her ribs on her side. As both men spot the faintest glance of a red bra they quickly look away. Monsieur André clears his throat, trying to cover the red on his cheeks,

'' What kind of flag is that? ''

'' It's the LGBT flag. That stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual. You know, being part of that and all I wanted to have it somewhere on my body. ''

'' Oh, of course… -Wait, what? '' Kat shrugs her shoulders at him, her expression innocent.

'' I'm here and queer. ''

'' W-we will only have to cover those that could be seen. The one on your, uhm, chest. For example. ''

'' Okay. No problem. Good for you that I didn't start that big project yet. I was planning to get the names of the Egyptian gods in hieroglyphics onto my back. That would have been hard to cover. '' André looks at her somewhat surprised,

'' That… does sound interesting. '' Kat offers a friendly smile at him but her eyes quickly move to Firmin as he glances at her body, his face a little pale,

'' Does it not hurt terribly to have tattoos at these places? ''

'' It was endurable but that really depends on where your limit is. On bones it's always more painful, sure. But it looks really awesome so I'd say it was worth it. -Lemme guess, the piercing needs to come out too? ''

'' Yes, of course. '' She nods.

* * *

'' Whoa…'' Jessie's eyes widen, his mouth dropping open as soon as Kat comes back into the room. Getting Kat into the costume and the makeup wasn't the problem. Putting on the corset, now that was a drama-act Carlotta could be jealous of. While the others had to wait outside of Kat's dressing-room, they still heard Madam Giry trying to keep the younger woman still. Madam Giry did not hide her frustration once while that. Kat's panicked, overly-dramatic screeching send the others laughing to the ground while Mister Williams almost gave in to the urge to slam his head against the wall. Loud complaints about her chest not fitting into this where only the beginning. The Managers soon seemed very uncomfortable in their skin as she explained profoundly that her boobs will definitively burst under the forced pressure. As soon as the voices of argument died down and Kat seemed to be dressed, the noise of someone falling to the ground and the strained voice of Madam Giry telling Kat to please not make such a fuss soon made it obvious that Kat faked a break-faint. The moment the now fully dressed-up woman stepped out of the room though, made the laughter die down.

'' Kat you're… you're…''

'' A Barbie…''

'' Damn…''

'' I'm not a Barbie. I'm not even white. ''

'' The fuck. Look at you! Yer a doll! Blond long hair, dress, jewelries, no tattoo or piercings! You're a whole new person. '' Kat's expression twists into one of worry as she grabs onto her head, her eyes moving to Holly and Jessie,

'' Does it look bad? '' While Jessie shakes his head, Holly's still gaping at her with her mouth wide open. Mister Williams has his head titled to the side with a somewhat amused expression. The Managers seem satisfied. She might not be moving like a Diva yet, but she certainly looks like one. That is a big step.

'' Looks awesome… 's just a shock. ''

'' Yeah, I know what you mean. '' Josh agrees.

* * *

'' Please hold your hips Miss Jones. '' Kat stops, her arms coming to a halt at her sides, her head leaning back into her neck as she growls. They are back in the room from before, this time only Kat, André, Firmin and Madam Giry. They told her about her schedule, about the time she will have to attend to lessons for her behavior. The times where she will train her voice are not really decided yet but Madam Giry did tell her that, should she wish to be alone for some time, the chapel would offer great acoustic. The elder woman said the place isn't often visited, that's enough to make it Kat's new favorite spot. She will check that out as soon as the Managers let her go.

'' I can't walk without moving them! '' Firmin sighs,

'' You can move them but please do not swing them like that. You are a performer, not an exotic dancer. ''

'' Actually I was a stripper for, like, 3 or 4 weeks in that small bar down the street from where I live. ''

'' Dear lord…''

* * *

'' You are excused for today. Please be on time tomorrow morning. '' Kat nods in gratitude at Madam Giry and runs out of the room before they can change their mind. Neither Holly nor Jessie wait for her so she runs down into the chapel. It's small, a little cold but it the almost pressing silence has something oddly comforting. The paintings on the walls and the candles give the room a pleasant atmosphere. The muscles in Kat's back relax at least a little as she sits down at the window. She looks down at herself, coming here was a horrible idea. Dresses, singing, performing. This trip was supposed to be fun, not responsibility! Not like this. She planned to get wasted with old wine and just enjoy her time here. The only singing she was supposed to do was in the choir as another faceless graduate. She sighs and fetches the messy notes from her pocket. After starring at them silently for a few minutes she takes a deep breathe, her voice careful, trembling,

'' _Think of me..._ _T_ _hink of me fondly when we've said goodbye..._ _Remember me, once in a while please promise me you'll try... When you find, that once again you long, to take your heart_ \- '' She breaks off as her voice makes another unpleasant screeching noise. In her frustration she crumbles the paper in her hands and tosses it across the room. With an annoyed huff she leans her back against the window and closes her eyes, her feet lazily stretched from her. Not to mention that her voice is, despite what those people see in it, far from ready for this… The Anxiety is breaking records of panic in her head already. Her meds won't fix this and neither will pot. Even if she somehow manages to sound somewhat alright, she's probably gonna break down before she can sing the first note. And then the Phantom of the Opera will drop a curtain on her head. She's too young for that kind of Comedy-Death.

 _Screw the boat, I'll swim home._

'' _Brava, brava,_ _bravissima_...'' Her head snaps up at the sudden smooth voice surrounding her. Kat's eyes abruptly scan the area but find nothing that could explain the voice. She's not going into a Schizophrenic-phase is she? Really, that's the last thing she needs right now.

'' Looks like this place is haunted after all...'' She mumbles as she relaxes again. Hallucinations don't scare her anymore. Not those…

'' What a promising voice to such an elegant face. '' Her eyebrow rises, that's not a hallucination. That's a bloke.

'' Haunted by a Stalker, too. ''

'' I apologize, it was not my intention to frighten you. ''

'' I'm not frightened. I'm annoyed. People here want to press me into a corset and kick me on a stage. I've never done something like this. Definitively not solo. ''

'' You are their only hope to still perform the Opera. ''

'' Well maybe I wouldn't be if they wouldn't pick a so moody Diva. Or at least have a capable understudy. There's no way I can learn this shit in 2 days! It's 4 songs and then there's the steps and the bowing and the acting. The breathing, the standing, the… everything! Their previous Diva certainly knew her part better than me. ''

'' Her voice was a shame for my house. And a torture for my ears. '' She laughs softly at his remark and titles her head, her eyes not trying to grasp where the voice comes from but focuses on the burning candle in front of her.

'' Your house? So I'm talking to the infamous Opera Ghost. What was it? The Phantom of the Opera? I must say, I imagined your voice darker, scarier. Not smooth. But imagination often differs from reality doesn't it. '' As the voice doesn't answer Kat sighs,

'' What can I do for you anyway? Do you want to drop something on my head too? Please, you would do me a favor. ''

'' No, that certain treatment was to soothe the pain in my ears. I assure you, I mean no harm. '' A sarcastic grin twists up the corners of her mouth,

'' Now if that isn't calming. The voice coming from every direction is promising no harms. ''

'' I cannot show my face to you, Mademoiselle, my apologies. ''

'' And why not? ''

'' It is a certain… condition. Incurable. ''

'' Freddy Kruger or Jason Vorhees style? ''

'' Excuse me? ''

'' Nothing. Not your time I guess. ''

'' Very well. To come to the reason for my presence, I would like to offer you lessons. ''

'' Lessons? ''

'' Indeed. I heard you sing... And, Mademoiselle, your voice is truly _astonishing._ An Angel's voice. Exquisite in every detail. Except, it is untrained. Without proper training your voice will never reach the notes I know it is capable of. And for the performance next week you will need those high notes. Your voice has its high phases as well as lows. Certain tones you master beautifully, others sound, pardon, quite screeching. ''

'' If it's so screeching why did they pick me? There's girls sounding a lot better than me in my class. ''

'' A true Maestro sees talent when he hears it. My managers might not be the wisest… but they do know their work. ''

'' Well, that's why they have the job, right? Because they know this stuff. I wouldn't know any of that. ''

'' You are untrained. The voices of those girls may sound adequately but they'll never be enough to perform on a stage, with or without proper training. You on the other hand, your voice has that certain passion in it. ''

'' I don't think that even your 'proper training' would help me to learn what I need in _under a week_. ''

'' I _am_ a very good teacher. '' She raises an eyebrow at the voice, her arms crossing over her chest as her hip pushes out to the left,

'' Yeah? How many people can confirm that? As far as I heard, you waltz around here, claim this whole Opera as yours and play a couple of pranks. But that's it. There's no one here that ever said anything good about you. ''

'' Does that frighten you? ''

'' No, but it makes me wonder. If you're really this good, why do you focus on me? Why didn't you try to teach someone else before? I bet this isn't the first time Carlotta run out. I mean come on, that woman's a full-blooded Drama Queen. Not even I reach her level. ''

'' You have an interesting way of thinking, Mademoiselle. ''

'' So I've been told. ''

'' Of course, if you find my lesson unhelpful, you may always end it and ask for someone else. ''

'' That didn't answer my question. ''

'' You are quite impudent. ''

'' I've heard that one before too, just phrased differently. So? ''

'' And what phrases were that? ''

'' I answer your question if you answer mine. Quid pro Quo, Clarice. ''

'' Another reference? '' She shrugs her shoulders. He doesn't answer her for a while but she stays patient. He wouldn't just go. As much as he hates to admit it, if he had another option than her he wouldn't even contact her.

'' I do not wish to interact with those people. Not with this certain closeness those lessons require. You on the other hand are in need of this training, more than them. Carlotta might need training but I would rather eat a box of leech than teach her. ''

'' Ew. Fine, I accept that answer. The others like to describe me as an... aggressive psycho bitch. I can't deny there's a certain truth about that. '' She puts her arms on her hips as she realizes that she was tricked,

'' So that's why Madam Giry send me down here then? Not cause of the silence and the great acoustic or the nice atmosphere in here. It was to meet you. So that you can talk to me without any interruption. Sneaky. '' As the voice doesn't answer she drops her arms at her sides,

'' I won't tell anyone, don't worry. It was just a little, you know, obvious. She's getting the letters, she doesn't look uncomfortable or anything if people talk about you. That adds. And I'm reading a lot of Detective Novels so I got that in my veins. ''

'' She was acting on my order. I do not wish anyone to ruin the reputation of my Opera. '' The faintest smirk comes to her lips,

'' I see. -Alright Mr. Phantom, tell me what to do. I don't think there's any other option so fuck it. If I do this I'm gonna rock it. ''

'' The first thing we need to work on... is your language, Mademoiselle. '' Her eyebrow raises. That's the second time already that somebody told her that today. Kat clears her throat and puts her hand on her chest, her face getting a soft expression and her voice dropping into a pleasing, submissive tone,

'' My apologies. Please, guide me and my voice to reach the potential you believe it is capable of. I will obediently follow every order, Master. '' A stunned silence reaches her eyes. Her lips turn back into a smirk,

'' Wha', didn't think I can talk like ya? I'm a good actress, Mistah Phantom. ''

'' Please do keep on acting then. It will be necessary for your career. ''

'' Whoa whoa, hold on there. Career? I'm just gonna perform this one show and as soon as your Diva's back I'm out of this and inside the next bar ordering the strongest drink they have. ''

'' It would be a terrible waste of your talent if you finish so soon after you began. ''

'' I don't care. I'm not a Diva or a performer. I didn't absolve 14 years of school just to come stay at a world where my graduation don't mean zip! ''

'' I will, of course, not try to force you into anything. I just want you to understand that once you are trained, you could have a glorious career before you. Throwing this away is an unwise mistake. ''

* * *

'' I make a lot of mistakes and I manage. Thanks for the hidden compliments, I really appreciate it but I can't stay here. '' A heavy silence falls over the room. If this woman would accept to stay he could get rid of Carlotta once and for all. Whether it be through her death or for her leaving on own account. The young woman will see soon enough that she is meant to be here. Her voice is a gift and even though she cannot see that now, he can. And he will show her.

'' There is one more thing before we can begin. If I teach you, we have to do this in private. Your dressing room offers me the possibility to talk to you, so does the room that was given to you, but your friend cannot find out about this. So please, whenever you are available come down here. I will make sure the door is always unlocked. '' He watches her nodding. Footsteps let both of them wince but only the twitching of her body is visible. Her voice lowers,

'' I can sneak down here at midnight, Holly never stays up that long so she'll be fast asleep til then, sounds good? ''

'' I will be here. '' She nods but before she can say anything else, a man appears in the door. The Phantom recognizes him as their scholar. The man that brought them here. He thinks about leaving but the look in the man's eyes stops him.

'' Here you are, I was looking for you. Where you talking to someone? ''

'' Myself. '' She answers briefly. The other man looks at her worried, his voice lowering as if somebody might hear them,

'' Did you take- ''

'' I did. I'm just a little shaky, you know, about all this. Performing, audience… That's a big piece of cake. ''

'' You'll be fine. You know that, right? '' The young woman makes no move to answer him. Instead her arms wrap around herself in something that almost seems like a self-comforting gesture to the Phantom. He soon spots the faintest tremor running through her body. Is that fear?

'' Let's go back to the others, yeah? '' The man nods at her question and puts a comforting hand on her back,

'' Alright. '' The Phantom watches how they leave and stares after them a moment, his eyebrow risen.


	2. Chapter 2 - Ghost Opera

**Chapter 2:** Ghost Opera

* * *

Exactly 10 minutes before midnight Kat sneaks out of the room. Holly plays sleeping beauty and doesn't even notice as she sneaks outside. As soon as her feet touch solid ground she moves a little quicker. Her feet carry her to the stage which she uses as a point of orientation. From there she know where to go to reach the small staircase that leads her down into the chapel. The first thing inside the room she notices are the candles that are lit.

'' Phantom? ''

'' I am here, Mademoiselle. ''

'' You know, you could just call me Kat. Everyone does. ''

'' Kat? ''

'' Yeah, it's a short form for my name. ''

'' If I may ask, what is your whole name? ''

'' Kathrine Jones. ''

'' What a lovely name. _Kathrine_. '' The young woman smiles at the way her name rolls off his tongue. His smooth voice pronouncing the 'th' softly. He makes her name sound rich, somehow.

'' Why would you wish to be called _Kat_ if your complete name is so marvelous? ''

'' People call me stubborn and moody. ''

'' So you earned that certain short form for you are feline. ''

'' Well I do claw at backs. ''

'' Please do not use such ill language. ''

'' Sorry. So… do you have a name or do you want me to keep call you Phantom? '' As she doesn't receive an answer she nods her head accepting. She doesn't need his name. He doesn't even want her to see him so there's got to be a valid reason for his way of keeping his guard up.

'' Alright, Phantom it is then. No problem in that. How will you teach me how to sing if I hear your voice all around me? That's pretty confusing to be honest... And there's no music. ''

'' Of course. '' Suddenly she hears a piano playing but opposite to his voice, the music only comes from one direction and that's above. Her eyes move to the ceiling and she cocks her head to the side,

'' What are you, David Copperfield? ''

'' Is that another alliteration I do not understand? ''

'' Pretty much. Your lack of knowledge about my world and my lack of historical knowledge is making my sarcasm so much harder. ''

'' You could always completely refrain from it? ''

'' Where would be the fun in that? ''

'' We are in a lesson. This is not a celebration. Please do keep that in mind. '' His voice becomes more strict but she shrugs it off,

'' Partypooper. No cake for you. ''

'' Can we begin or is there another thing you would like to express before? '' She thinks a moment and smirks,

'' Facebook went public and Edward snowden went private. The Kardashians still have their show which is another reason to leave the telly off until The Walking Dead continues in winter. The IS is Out, Gay marriage is In and a teacher from my school is out for letting her student get it in- Which is kind of sad because she was one of my favorites. -America loves gun, Kim Jong Un hates democracy and everybody hates everything with the exception of Ryan Reynolds who is _totally_ _awesome_. -Now I'm done. '' She almost laughs as he sighs.

* * *

'' Meg was it, right? '' Meg stops at the voice of their new leading Lady and turns to her with a friendly smile. The class that came here sneaked around the whole day, many of the dancers and singers didn't like it but they payed a lot of money to come here so none of the others is making a fuss. They were introduced to each other briefly. A few names fell, a few smiles but that was it. Meg barely remembers anything. What she did not forget, however is this woman. After all she just came to visit and is now singing a leading role. Meg heard many women talk about her and she's almost certain that the young woman heard some of that too. If she did then she really hid it well. But the other dancers were not lowering their voices. She must have heard. If there is one thing Meg knows by now then it is that Monsieur Firmin and André work nonofficial for the Phantom. And if he would be displeased about her, he would have let them know.

'' Ah, yes. Can I help you? ''

'' Not really. I'm just looking around. You're Madame Giry's daughter aren't you? ''

'' Yes Mademoiselle, that is correct. '' The woman offers a charming smile,

'' Call me Kat. Everyone does. '' Meg returns the smile and nods. For a moment she feels the older woman's eyes on her body, looking her up and down before her eyebrow raises,

'' Anyone ever told you that you're really pretty? Are you doing anything else than dancing? '' Meg feels her cheeks redden at the compliment. The other ballet dancers did call her pretty too but with them it is never sure how sincere they are. Kat, however, does seem honest.

'' No. It is my only and true passion to dance. I do like singing but if I'd have to choose I'd rather dance. ''

'' Yeah thought so. You move like a full-blooded Ballerina. 's kind of hot. ''

'' I… I'm sorry? ''

'' Well you're- ''

'' Kat! '' Both girls turn on Holly's strict voice while Jessie walks after her, shaking his head. Meg winces as Holly grabs Kat on her neck and glares her down,

'' Stop it! ''

'' I was just saying hello! ''

'' No you weren't! ''

'' I'm so sorry she's not used to the whole '19th Century' thing. '' Jessie says with a friendly smile at Meg. The youngest girl feels her lips twitching in amuse at the play before her,

'' Oh she was not bothering me, please there is no reason for you to hurt her. I was just confused as to what you meant? '' As soon as Holly lets go of her, Kat rubs the aching spot on her neck before regaining her posture,

'' I meant, in all policy, that you are a very attractive girl and if I wouldn't be a little scared of your mother I would ask you out on a drink. ''

'' That is very kind of you but Mama does not like it if I drink. ''

'' How old are you? ''

'' 16, Mademoiselle. ''

'' You have a great body for that age. I knew it, it's the dancing after all. ''

'' T-thank you but you are very attractive yourself. '' Kat smiles at her. Meg's smile fades the slightest touch and she grows a more serious expression as she sees her mother approaching from behind,

'' Hello Mama. '' Kat's smile drops,

'' _Maldecir_... '' (Damn)

'' Miss Jones, please refrain from trying to ogle my daughter. '' Meg watches Kat wincing at the strict voice in her mother's sound. Only as Kat turns around to give her a guilty smile Meg realizes what her mother just said,

'' Ogle? You were… oh. '' Kat directs her apologetic smile now at her,

'' Sorry…''

'' I do understand that it is normal in your world but I do not wish for you to use my daughter like that. ''

'' I wasn't even serious. I wouldn't really try to seduce a minor. I swear I just… do this. I flirt all the time, really. No harm. '' Holly quickly steps in,

'' She really does. She doesn't mean bad. She just isn't good at making compliments without that certain tone slipping through. ''

'' She flirts with us too. '' Jessie throws in but Meg only looks at Kat,

'' You were flirting with me? ''

'' Yeah. ''

'' Oh. D-does that mean you ... _lik_ _e_ women? ''

'' To be honest… I like people based on their character, not on their gender. '' Meg feels her cheeks heating up. Men flirted with her before but never before a woman. It does feel a little strange. Madam's face becomes a tad more serious,

'' Miss Jones, you are late for your training. '' Suddenly Kat's eyes widen,

'' Ah, maldecir! -Gotta go, talk to you later! Was nice to meet you Meg! Sorry again, I really didn't mean it in a disrespecting way! '' (Damn) She runs off before Meg or anyone else has the chance to say something. They watch how she waves with another grin at her friends. Holly groans and buries her face in her hands, Jessie smirks a little. Meg looks after her slightly perplexed.

'' You are late. '' She groans. The moment she stepped a foot into the chapel, his voice boomed from all around her. She did run the whole way here, that has to count for something, she thought. She was wrong obviously. He's too strict. Right now she feels like she's part of a badly scripted movie.

'' I know, I'm sorry, I was talking to Meg. ''

'' Can we begin, then? Or do you wish to continue your small conversation with Mademoiselle Giry first? ''

'' Come on don't be like that. I said I'm sorry. ''

'' Kathrine, those are lessons you are in need of. I am not. The less time we spend with training your voice, the more mistakes you might keep. ''

'' I got it, can we just start now Master? '' He sighs in defeat and Kat smirks in victory.

* * *

'' How are your lessons going? '' Mister Williams asks. The room they're in is empty, it is most of the time. They meet here every morning so that he can give Kat her pills in peace.

'' Uh, real wicked. I think I'm actually gettin' better. But you know, next to the voice lessons I have the training with Madam Giry for my behavior which kinda sucks. Not because of her, I'm just a real cock-up. '' He gives her a knowing glace,

'' You're good at it. You just don't want to be. ''

'' Great now you sound like her. ''

'' Maybe it's because we share the same struggle. We both have to teach you. ''

'' Hey I'm a nice student. ''

'' If you want to be, yes. ''

'' I'm nicer to her than I am to you. ''

'' Cause you're afraid of her. ''

'' Like you wouldn't be. '' He makes a move to object but sighs then with a low chuckle. Kat's eyes lower to the ground, her voice a little more melancholic than before,

'' I thought I have more free time here. ''

'' Well I think that task at hand really does you good. You look… you know, healthy. '' She arches an eyebrow at him, her arms crossing over her chest,

'' Oh thanks. ''

'' You know what I mean. ''

'' I do. The training and everything is nice. 's just… the performance. ''

'' Well see the positive, if you mess up you're not gonna live long enough to really allow all that panic and shame to come up. ''

'' I swear I'm gonna kill you and dump your body in the sewers for the alligators. ''

* * *

 _Where is she?_

Holly finally gets out of her bed. After waiting for over half an hour for Kat to return she finally decided to go look for her in case she got the bright idea to walk around here at night. Holly finds herself hoping that her friend didn't went outside for a walk and got lost on her way. She woke up yesterday to find her gone already but there she fell asleep after waiting for her for ten minutes and she forgot to ask her about it today. Before she leaves the room she goes back to her bed to grab her phone, in case she needs a light. She has to use the light of her screen the moment she reaches the part of the Opera that isn't close to a window where the moon can offer some light. She stops herself from using the flashlight to make sure she won't disturb anyone accidentally. After checking the stage and her dressing room, she looks around helplessly until she remembers that Kat mentioned the chapel once.

 _It's worth the try…_

She silently makes her way down the stairs that lead to the chapel but stops as she hears Kat singing. She can't make out the song but that's definitively her. She wonders why she didn't hear her already as she was at the door upstairs. Before Holly has the chance to step closer, Kat suddenly breaks off and groans,

'' Come on Master! We're at it for hours! I'm exhausted…'' Holly's eyes widen and she fumbles silently for her phone. While staying in she shadow she carefully opens her camera and makes sure that the lens has a full view on the room. Her finger presses the record button. On the display she can see what happens in the room without having to glance past the frame. Kat stands in the middle of the room, her breathing still rather heavy from the singing but her eyes not really focused on anything.

'' We will do one last chord. '' Holly moves her phone around a little, trying to spot the man that's with here but the room is completely empty. It's almost like the voice is coming from every direction. But that's not possible, right?

'' You said that the last fifteen chords too. '' Kat stomps with her foot with a stubborn pout. She crosses her arms and pushes her hip out. His voice is completely unaffected by her behavior,

'' Be quiet and focus. ''

'' Yes Master. But eh, if I have to be quiet I can't sing. ''

'' Please spare me this mockery, Mademoiselle. '' She smirks at the annoyance in the voice,

'' Back to Mademoiselle are we? ''

'' Kathrine, I am merely trying to take your mind off the performance. If I may remind you, it was you who came for another lesson after hours. ''

'' I was really nervous okay! I'm supposed to be _bloody_ _singing_ in front of a whole _fucking_ lot of _bloody_ \- ''

'' Language, Kathrine. Please. ''

'' English's the language, Phantom. You're welcome. '' Holly rolls her eyes. Sometimes she just wants to punch Kat in the face. She can imagine that the man feels similar right now. Kat called him Master. But… She can't be talking to the Phantom of the Opera, can she?

'' We have to work on your sarcasm. ''

'' You could throw me over your knee and spank me. I was a naughty girl. ''

'' Please do not use such ill-mannered words either. '' She sighs,

'' Fine, sorry. I'm just… really nervous. ''

'' I assure you, there is no reason for that. You will be perfect. '' Holly glances past the door frame for a second to take a better look at Kat's face. Her eyes are on the floor, her lip between her teeth. The praising words of the Phantom probably didn't even reach her. And if they did, she's hiding it because she doesn't believe it. Despite the confidence she always beams with, the Anxiety is still a part of her and sometimes it's breaking her apart.

'' Well maybe I wouldn't be so nervous if a certain someone wouldn't always point out how important this is! ''

'' Are you implying that I put pressure on you? ''

'' Yes! ''

'' I am wounded you would even consider this. ''

'' Spare me the faked emotion, Spock. ''

'' Another alliteration? ''

'' Right on the spot Sherlock. ''

'' Kathrine. ''

'' This is hard! I always talk like that but usually people understand me. Do you know how hard it is to be funny, sarcastic and from 19th Century! ''

'' How about you leave out the sarcasm entirely? ''

'' Yeah, no thanks Mister Critic. I swear, at some point I'm trained in sarcasm 19th century style. ''

'' I do not doubt that…''

'' Was that a sigh I heard there? ''

'' Yes. ''

'' At least you're open. Well, sometimes. And honestly, you need a little fun in your life. You're too stiff, this is gonna give you a heart attack sooner or later. ''

'' Considering the current events I think that, if something will give me a heart attack, it will be you. ''

'' Now you're just complimenting me. '' She grins a moment but that expression soon drops. With a sigh she sits down on the floor cross-legged and puts her face in her hands. Holly abruptly spots the faintest tremble on her body. She's by now so used to this that she abruptly spots her panic even if Kat's good at hiding it behind a charming grin and a witty comment.

'' Kathrine. ''

'' Hm? ''

'' You will be wonderful. '' Holly's eyes narrow, did he notice her change too?

'' Are you gonna drop something on me if I mess it up? '' The softest chuckle reaches her ears but his voice is serious,

'' How could I ever harm you? My beautiful angel of music...'' Kat's lips turn into a smile before she lies down on the ground and curls up into a ball, sighing in comfort.

'' Kathrine, do not fall asleep here. The floor is cold, you will fall ill. ''

'' You worry too much, Cupcake. ''

'' Kathrine, please go to bed. ''

'' That means I have to stand up…''

'' Yes. ''

'' I don't wanna. I'm pretty comfy. ''

'' Your friend will become worried if she does not find you. I do not wish for you to get into any trouble. ''

'' Holly's sleeping like a rock. I know it. I always hated that. I want to party, she wants to sleep. I want to go out at night on a class trip, she is tired and rather stays in our room. I want to explore the area, she says it's too dangerous. Boooooring. ''

'' Your friend does seem to worry for you, I cannot say that I am disappointed about that. She does seem like a good friend. ''

'' She is. She's the best. She always takes care of me even though I'm a lot of work and don't always show how much I appreciate her. '' Holly can't help but glance around the door again. Half of Kat's face is hidden from her but she can still see the small smile on her friend's lips. Kat's arms are wrapped around herself softly. Holly knows that Kat is very bad at expressing what she feels. She's especially bad at telling people what she thinks about them, at least if it's something that's really important to her. But here she opens up to this man who's face she doesn't even see. Still, leaving out the fact who she's talking to, Holly can't help but feel extremely light right now at the words of her best friend. Of course Kat always let her know that she cares for her but she never said words like that. Not sober. Holly can't remember ever feeling this moved about so simple words.

'' In that case I am grateful for her presence. '' Holly's eyes widen slightly as she quickly presses her back against the wall again. Thousands of thoughts running through her mind.

'' I think… she would like you too. ''

'' If she really does care about you, I doubt that she would be pleased if she finds out you are with me. ''

'' You're really insecure about yourself. No, really. She's great. She doesn't make an opinion abut you until she met you in person. She's not the kind of type to listen to gossips. She would maybe at first be worried about me but if she gets to know you like I do she would like you too. ''

'' Like me ' _too_ '? Does that mean you like me? ''

'' Yeah, sure. I wouldn't be here if I wouldn't. ''

'' Perhaps. I, on the other hand, have no choice but to teach you. ''

'' Aw don't be like that. We both know you love me. ''

'' How could I not? ''

* * *

Holly waits patiently until Kat agreed to sing one last aria and both are busy with each other before she sneaks away. As soon as she can't hear Kat's singing anymore, she starts running until she's back in her room and her back is pressed against the door. Out of all people Kat had to befriend with the Phantom of the Opera. A murderer. If it wouldn't be so much like her, Holly would wonder how Kat managed that. It's not only that she befriended with him, he just confessed to be in love with her. Kat may be oblivious to the honesty in his voice but Holly could hear it. Slowly Holly shuffles back to her bed and drops down on it, her face burying in her hands. She tries her best not to just print this man off as what others said he is but this is different. This isn't just about that he could or could not be an asshole or really arrogant or something like that. He did kill people, he is dangerous, he could hurt Kat. But the way he talked to her, the small laughs Kat could get out of him, the praises he gave her, the way he never spoke too harsh with her even though he scolded her at one point. Holly shakes her head. She has to talk to Kat. At least tell her to be careful.

* * *

'' Kathrine, one last thing. '' Kat stops at his voice and turns around to face the room again. Even though she cannot see him, she always makes sure he can see her.

'' Yes? ''

'' I heard you were trying to take advantage of Meg Giry. '' Her soft expression drops and he can watch anger blooming on her face. Madam Giry was not complaining about it, she just mentioned it with slight amuse in her voice as they talked.

'' Take advantage of her? Come on! Seriously?! I wasn't planning to rape her! Just, you know, flirt. It wasn't even an honest attempt because trust me if I wanted to chat her up she'd be in my bed before her mom could have spotted us. '' He cannot decide how he should react to that so he decides to ignore her confident statement,

'' Why would you do that? ''

'' Cause life's short and she's hot. '' That simple answer does throw him off a little again. He quickly tries to regain his posture and right now he feels glad that she cannot see the expression on his face.

'' ...Please refrain from this in future. ''

'' Yes Master. Don't worry, I'm actually a little afraid of Madam Giry so I wouldn't try to hit on her more seriously, even if I wanted to. To that comes, she's a minor. I don't do teenagers. '' This confuses him,

'' Why would you hit her if your intention was to woo her? '' Suddenly a sweet laugh comes from Kathrine's lips as she puts her hands in her hips to smile into the room,

'' That's a saying. Hit on her means I'm trying to flirt with her. ''

'' The sayings and alliterations of your world confuse me. ''

'' Well there's something I can teach you. I better get going now. Holly will kick me out of bed in not even 4 hours. See you later! '' She waves over her head while running out of the room. He waits until he can no longer hear her feet on the stairs. With a look to the window he notices that she forgot the bottle with water he placed there for her. After their second lesson she complained about a dry throat and said she will take water with her for their next lesson. She forgot it, like he thought she would, so he made sure to place a bottle next to the window for her. She was very happy about it.

* * *

Holly waits patiently on her bed for Kat to return. It takes almost another hour until the door finally opens and Kat slips in silently. She's barely making any noise on the creaking wood planks that cover the floor. That's how she always gets away, she's very fast and quiet about it. The moment Kat spots Holly sitting on the bed she freezes, for the blink of an eye she sees worry on her face before her lips turn up in a guilty smile,

'' Hey why are you up? Did I wake you? '' Holly decides not to tell her right away that she saw her, hoping Kat will tell her herself. But her patience is running thin.

'' Where were you? ''

'' Had to go to the bathroom. ''

'' You were gone long. ''

'' I didn't find it at first… and got lost on my way here. Somehow I ended up close to where the stage is. I think I got the way now. ''

'' So you haven't been anywhere else? ''

'' Where could I have been? I wasn't outside. I case you notice, I'm still in my sleeping cloths and it's frikkin cold outside. ''

'' I don't mean anywhere outside. I meant, for example, the stage or your dressing room. Or the chapel. '' Suddenly Kat's charming aura drops and her eyes get a colder look. She snorts

'' Tienes que estar bromeando…! '' ( _You got to be kidding_ ) Holly titles her head at her friend, so she did just hit a nerve there. Kat only slips if she's really excited about anything.

'' You know. ''

'' Yeah. ''

'' How long? ''

'' For about an hour. '' Holly shakes her head. Kat makes no move to interrupt her,

'' Kat… I don't think I really need to tell you how dangerous this game is that you're playing, right? '' Kat avoids her eyes stubbornly. Holly feels like she's scolding a child that doesn't know what to say. Sometimes Kat is like that to her. Like a child who either completely attacks or doesn't say anything at all to keep herself from saying anything nasty in her rant. Because Kat has the ability to find your weak-spot and if you manage to make her your enemy she will destroy you with that. Maybe that is what worries Holly the most about this. Right now the Phantom is gentle with her, polite. But if that should change for whatever reason and Kat becomes mad she might say something she doesn't want to say. Or what Holly fears more, she might say something she definitively meant to say. And he would kill her.

'' I'm not playing. '' She lastly mutters.

'' I'm not sure if you're telling me the truth. I'm not even sure if _you_ know if you're telling the truth. '' Her eyes avoid her again. Holly sighs,

'' I'm not trying to scold you or forbid you to see him. I just want you to realize that you can't treat him like the blokes in our world. He's dangerous. A murderer. That's a fact if you like it or not. ''

'' I know. ''

'' Good. -We should sleep some more. We have to get up in 4 hours. ''

'' What, that's it? No more questions about how this happened or what I think I'm doing or… or a moral speech or something like that? '' Holly shrugs and lies back down, barely glancing at Kat,

'' Maybe I'm still a little flattered about your compliments. '' Kat's eyes barely have the time to change into confuse before they suddenly widen as she realizes what Holly meant. Her mouth drops open, her finger pointing at Holly,

'' You fucking eavesdropping asshole! ''


	3. Chapter 3 - Tale As Old As Time

**Chapter 3:** Tale As Old As Time

* * *

'' Get up Juliet, breakfast. '' Kat yelps and sits up straight as something hits her in her face, ripping her painfully from her sleep. She looks down at her lap to find one of her boots. With a glare at Holly she tosses the boot back at her but she dodges in time. Still extremely tired and very pissed Kat rubs over her face, muttering under her breathe,

'' Juliet? The hell is wrong with you…''

'' Well I thought about this. And to be honest this whole affair reminds me on Romeo and Juliet. '' Holly shrugs with a grin. Kat rises an eyebrow at her,

'' If you think I'm stupid enough to push a dagger between my ribs just because some bloke kills himself you're wrong _and_ very insulting. ''

'' Ah hush. I would go for Beauty and the Beast... but Belle was actually very pleasant to be around and he did sound far too polite for the beast. On the other hand, it could work if you switch roles. ''

'' Wow. Fuck you too. I take everything back I said. ''

'' Too late. ''

* * *

Right after breakfast Madam Giry passes Kat up,

'' Mademoiselle Jones, you lessons will continue like they used to but for this evening you are free to go where you want. You are making quite the progress, I think a little time to yourself will not harm this. Please do be back until 8 o'clock though. '' Kat's face splits into a happy smile. Her eyes soon make contact with Holly and Jessie, It's settled, they're going to town this evening.

* * *

'' Meg! Over here! '' Meg stops in her rather aimless walk through the Opera as she hears Kathrine's voice calling out to her. She did not have another chance to talk to the new Diva since she had to leave in such a hurry yesterday so she smiles pleasantly as Kat approaches her,

'' Is there anything I can help you with? '' Kat offers a smile,

'' I was wondering if you'd like to come with us to town, maybe you can show us around. We can go shopping or drink a coffee or something like that. Depends on what we find there. '' Meg feels a small hesitation in her voice, not sure if she should just accept the invitation. Not like there was anything else calling for her attention right now but she did only talk to Kathrine once by now. The offer seems a little sudden to her.

'' Are you sure you really want me to accompany you? Won't that be a problem for your friends? ''

'' Sure if you're up for it, we don't mind. Don't worry, they're both nice and won't bite you. Usually I'm the one that bites. And no, that was not a flirtation this time. '' Kat smirks. Meg laughs.

'' I would really like to go with you. I will just run and ask Mama. ''

'' Sure go ahead. We're waiting at the door. '' Kat turns on her heels to go to her two friends who are waiting at the door for her. Meg quickly runs to her mother's room, only faintly knocking before she enters. A sudden excitement grows in her. This is the first time for a long while that someone invited her for a visit in town. After Christine married Raoul and left the Opera she has no real friend left. Of course, many of the other girls are nice but they are not really the people she would consider a friend. Kat on the other hand has a certain atmosphere around her that brings a smile to her face.

'' Mama, Kathrine asked me if I would like to visit town with them. Would that be alright? '' Her mother's eyes narrow in confuse for a moment,

''… I think there won't be a problem with that. Just be careful and do not let Kathrine get you into any trouble. She certainly is very kind but I also noticed her… interest in dangerous activities. '' Meg smiles warmly at her mother and nods,

'' I promise. ''

'' In that case I wish you a lot of fun. Do not lose them. ''

'' Yes Mama. '' She quickly runs into her own room to fetch her cloak and rushes then back to the entrance where she spots Kathrine talking to her friends, her back leaning against the door relaxed. Meg's excitement grows,

'' Kathrine! '' The 3 graduates look up at Meg's voice. Kathrine pushes herself off the frame and puts her hands on her hips, a smile on her lips,

'' So everything cool? ''

'' Yes. She said I may accompany you. ''

'' Great. So, just to get formalities done right away, Meg that's Holly and Jessie. And yes, if you forget their names you can ask without thinking it might be impolite. Okay let's go, I wanna see this town! '' Not waiting for the other 3 people to join her, Kat starts moving while clapping her hands in command. Meg looks after her, feeling a sudden wave of insecurity at the harshness Kathrine's voice held. She winces as she feels a hand on her shoulder. Holly's smiling at her,

'' She doesn't mean to make it sound this harsh, don't worry. She's always like that. ''

'' You'll get used to that soon, I promise. '' Jessie adds and nods for them both to follow the excited woman leading the way. Not far away from them Kat stops, her eyes round,

'' Meg, where is town? '' Meg laughs.

* * *

After leading the way to town and explaining what they could find where, the group decided to take a look around and use the chance of Kat's free evening to explore every detail. They wander through many different locals and shops. They soon find a small cafe hidden around a corner and covered in ivy. It has a beautiful old style so they make out to come here as soon as they've seen everything. Jessie and Holly spend a lot of time apologizing to Meg for Kathrine's direct and shameless behavior as she plainly asks the younger girl rather personal questions. Meg mostly laughs at her boldness, enjoying the way Kat interacts with her. Even though they talked only once before and that for just a brief moment, Kat is bringing her into her small group. Meg feels with each passing minute more comfortable with the 3 young adults. Holly is a very kind woman with a lot of respect and interest in both the Opera's history and the town. Meg finds herself often talking to her while they wander around aimlessly. Jessie is a little more closed up than Kat but he too has a certain boldness that Meg finds rather charming. What Meg notices about him is his well-taught knowledge about the culture they have in Meg's world.

As they come to a shop for Festival clothing Meg stops them,

'' Will you be on the ball too? '' Jessie is the first one to nod,

'' We were invited, yeah. ''

'' In that case you can buy your dresses in this shop. Most people buy in there that do not sew their dresses themselves. It is not even very expensive but the cloths are truly beautiful. I wanted to look for a dress in there too. There are also many Tuxedos. ''

'' Well in that case, let's go take a look around. If you wanted to go there anyway, why not now? I bet 's gonna be fun. '' Kathrine smirks.

'' Will you not come to the ball or do you have a dress already? ''

'' I probably come and take a look around but I'm not planning to stay. I'm not the type of person for that. ''

'' Oh but it will be a lot of fun. The choir and dancers practiced for months and many people from outside the Opera will be there. ''

'' I'm sure you guys are going to have a lot of fun. C'mon, let's go hit that shop. '' Meg looks after Kat as she once more sets moving without checking if anybody follows her.

'' Don't bother. She hates these kind of events. Never came to the ones our school made either. She barely goes to parties either. A couple of Festivals here and now but that's it. ''

'' Yeah. I doubt she'll even step a foot near that dance. ''

'' But it will be a lot of fun. ''

'' She's got a few personal problems with that. You can ask her, maybe she'll tell you. ''

'' I do not wish to be noisy. ''

'' Don't worry. She won't hold it against you- ''

'' Yo guys, what the hell are you waiting for? An invitation? '' They look up to find Kat in the door of the shop.

'' Do we get one? '' Jessie asks, obviously not really bothered by the way other people are staring at him. Kat puts her hands in her hips, her teeth pulling slightly on her piercing,

'' No! Let's go! '' They enter the store. It's full with dresses and tuxedos, like Meg said. The most common colors are brown, gold, white and black.

'' So… We need two dresses and a tuxedo, right? ''

'' At least try a couple of dresses, maybe you find something you like. See it as a souvenir. '' Holly says and Kat smirks,

'' Was planning on it. But your stuff is more important. '' She claps into her hands.

* * *

For the next 2 hours they try themselves through almost each dress that the shop has to offer. Jessie soon found a Tuxedo he likes. It has a dark gray color that almost fades into black. The waistcoat is black and has an elegant pattern that reminds on ivy. The shirt underneath is in the same gray as the jacket and pants while the bow tie also is black. He buys a pair of black business shoes to the tuxedo and a monocle for a good laugh. Meg was right, it wasn't that expensive. Holly finds a dress after around 2 hours looking through the shelves and trying several dresses. Jessie found it in a small corner between a dozen of other rather ugly dresses. The dress itself has a dull golden color but it is covered in a green patterns that almost completely covers the cover underneath. The pattern looks like the designer couldn't decide between stars and roses so he did a mix of both. The dress presents the neck and most of the collar, the arms are not puffy but sit still comfortably on the shoulders. In front of the chest is a large ribbon that is completely golden. Another, smaller, ribbon is wrapped around the waist where the skirt begins. The endings of the ribbon almost reach the end of the dress. Holly picks a pair of simple boots with a slim 6 centimeter heel to the dress even though she was not sure at first if she should buy those items or look around again. Kat and Meg talked Holly into buying it. Even though it was more that Meg convinced her while Kat threatened to not let her out of this store again until she bought these exact items. It's not like she had a chance than to buy them. A corsage is not attached to the dress though, so Holly buys a simple one in black separately, earning a snicker from Kat who promises her the breathing-problems of her life. Holly only retorts that she, opposite to Kat, has smaller boobs and through that won't have as many problems. At least she hopes that. Kat almost fainted as Madam Giry first put her into the corsage. On the other hand, Kat is a drama queen that likes to either react too less or too much.

'' So what do you think, can I go like that? '' The group starts to laugh as Kat steps out in a bright yellow dress that has peacock feathers attached to it in no real meaning. The skirt is fluffy enough to offer the threat to make many people trip and fall should she actually wear this thing outside. Kat's breast are pressed into a strange angle, her arms look like matchsticks under the far too puffy arms. Kathrine sticks out her hips what is barely visible in the skirt and only gives her body a strange form, her face bearing an expression of fake-arrogance. Meg and Holly have to hold onto each other, too wrapped up in their laughter than to be able to stand on their own. Jessie isn't even trying to stabilize himself as he carelessly drops to the floor, his head in his neck. Kat fakes a frustrated sigh and looks down at herself,

'' I knew it… It's too dull isn't it? ''

'' Kat in that dress you pass as the inspiration for Walking on Sunshine! ''

'' Oh my god yes! '' She grabs a pink feather boa that clashes in every way with the dress and throws it over her shoulders,

'' _Hah!_ _I'm walking on sunshine oh oh! I'm walking on sunshine oh oh! I'm walking on sunshine oh oh!_ '' Holly buries her face in her hands as Kat starts to sing loudly while dancing in the most ridiculous way they have ever seen. Holly knows her for years now, she has had her fair share of Kat-dances in public. This though, this is the top. She swings her hips and makes wild movements with her arms what reminds slightly on a very very drunken wannabe-stripper,  
'' _A_ _nd don't it feel good!_ _H_ _ey, alright now!_ _A_ _nd don't it feel good!_ _H_ _ey!_ _Y_ _ea_ _h!_ '' She bows as soon as she sang through the chorus. The size of the skirt almost makes her fall over while that so that she quickly has to stabilize herself. The 4 laugh some more before Kat finally takes off the dress after receiving rather nasty looks of the shop-owner. They then focus on finding Meg a dress which turns out to be quite the challenge.

'' Man, your boobs are bigger than mine. '' Kat says loudly after the 3rd dress she tries on doesn't fit too. Meg's cheeks redden in slight embarrassment. Holly looks at her with a sigh,

'' Isn't your back killing you? ''

'' No, why would it? ''

'' Nah don't worry. I never have problems with my back either but some girls with big boobs do. -'s the dancing Holly. Too trained for complaints. '' Kat faintly says over her shoulder while checking out the farthest away corner of the room. The others watch how she suddenly stops and turns to them with a big grin on her face. Before the others can ask her what's gotten into her she pulls another dress out. It's completely white and looks almost like a typical angel-dress. Around the collar, which is cut like the one on Holly's dress, is a fluffy rim. The skirt is ruffled but not as big as the one on Holly's dress. Kat abruptly pushes Meg into the small cabin to change. As soon as she comes out, Kat's, Jessie's and Holly's mouths drop,

'' Wow…''

'' Does it look good? ''

'' Wow…'' Kat and Jessie repeat while Holly walks around her. Suddenly she squeals,

'' Oh my god, it got wings! Meg your dress got wings! You have to buy it! '' Holly says with every amount of excitement in her voice that Meg has seen so far. Kat's mouth snaps close,

'' I'm reconsidering my past attempt to flirt with you… -No seriously, you are gorgeous! ''

'' Agreed. ''

'' Something's missing though…'' Holly suddenly says and looks around. After a few seconds she gives a loud 'ha' and returns with a pair of white gloves that reach Meg's elbows.

'' Yeah, perfect. '' Meg smiles. She buys the dress and the gloves with a pair of white satin shoes.

* * *

They leave the store after they bought Meg's dress and went back to the cafe they spotted before. Jessie and Holly order a coffee while Meg picks water and Kat goes for orange juice with a shot rum in it.

'' Kathrine… why do you not want to attend to the ball? '' Holly and Jessie abruptly look at Kat. The glass in her hand stops faintly on her lips before she takes a sip of her drink, shrugging,

'' I've got social anxiety. Not in the way where I cannot stand people at all. I just find events like parties or balls… very uncomfortable. I've got pills for that but that's not taking the feeling entirely so I rather stay away completely. ''

'' Oh... I am sorry. I did not know that… But don't you find it sad that you cannot come? ''

'' Not really. As I said, maybe I take a quick look but that's enough for me. After all I have to perform too in a few days. That's more than enough party for me to be honest. I take every bit of rest I can get. The shit's… draining my battery…''

'' I understand…'' Jessie looks at Kat now,

'' The others take a video though. ''

'' What is a video? '' He smiles at Meg,

'' I can show you when we're back at the Opera. ''

'' You're gonna love that. '' Holly adds.

'' So who do you usually spend your time with there? Do you live at the Opera? '' Kat asks. Meg nods, her eyes moving to the cup in her hands,

'' Yes Mama and I live there, many of the dancers do. Only the high-class performers have flats. And… most of the time I am alone. ''

'' What, you don't have any friends there? '' Holly questions further.

'' I had a good friend but she married her childhood friend and moved to Italy a few months ago. We are sending letters to each other, but it is hard to keep up contact. ''

'' I'm sorry to hear that. ''

'' Well, we're around for some more time. You can go out with us if you want. ''

'' W-would that be alright? ''

'' Of course. You're part of the group now. '' Holly offers with a sweet smile which Meg returns. Jessie grins,

'' As soon as Kat helps you into a dress without trying to hit on you, you can be sure she likes you. '' Kat smirks,

'' True. '' That brings up something in Meg's memory. Something she was wondering about.

'' Kathr- _Kat_ … m-may I ask you a personal question? ''

'' Sure go ahead. ''

'' You… _like_ women too? ''

'' Yep. ''

'' _Why_? I mean… I don't think I understand _where_ this attraction comes from…'' Kat glances down at her drink silently, a small smirk playing on her lips. After a while she shrugs,

'' Well, God said Adam and Eve… So I decided to do both. And since there's more than those two, why just focus on them instead of everything? '' Holly and Jessie snort into their drinks and spread half of the liquid over the table, coughing in between loud laughter. Meg's cheeks gain a faint shadow of red. As soon as Jessie and Holly stopped their laughter and Jessie and Kat exchanged a high five, Meg clears her throat,

'' Is it not… strange? ''

'' What exactly do you mean, the shagging or the plain flirting? ''

'' Shagging? ''

'' Eh, the sex. ''

'' Oh. Both, I think. ''

'' It's not strange, not for me at least. I once met a girl who was really shy about this because society is very focused on being straight. In school people use faggot and the word gay as an insult so many think being gay is different or odd in some way. But it isn't. The only thing that really is different, is the way other people treat you. In public people pay much more attention to you when you openly kiss someone of the same sex. But I barely ever had any trouble because of that. ''

'' Did you… were you intimate with a woman? ''

'' Yeah, couple of times. I was with more women than men, actually. Men are _extremely_ attractive but I sometimes prefer a woman's touch in certain situations. ''

'' You were sleeping with both already? B-but… you are not married? Or in a relationship? ''

'' I have a… a certain panic of relationships. Too restricting, too complicated. It demands too much trust and too much talking about emotions. I'm not good at that. But I do like sex. In our world it's a little easier. Women are still printed off as cheap sluts if they sleep around and some guys even think it's disgusting but you can't expect something that's so deeply rooted in society to change over night. Those problems are getting better with each year. Most people are working hard on that. But in the end I can't say that I care much about what others think about me. I might be a whore… but that doesn't mean I am any less worth than a virgin. '' Meg nods, taking a sip of her water. She cannot deny that she was curious about that. It is not as if the term is completely unknown to her, but she never felt like it would be appropriate to ask for details. What surprises her is that Kat is obviously not at all bothered by the fact that people could think of her as a easy woman. She bathes in those hateful comments others throw at her. The women in the ballet are nothing like that.

'' The other girls in the ballet often talk about their love lives but… most of the time there is not much love involved either. Giselle liked women too, she was very nice. She taught me how to make flower crowns as I was little. She left after she married another girl of the ballet. '' Kat leans back with a smile, stretching her hands over her head,

'' I love France, honestly. They're amazing coming to homosexuality. There's barely any homophobia here. Not even in this time-line. I could actually consider moving here. But I would miss London too much. ''

'' Speaking of which, how come you speak fluent English? '' Holly asks curiously.

'' Mama taught me. English and french are the two main languages here. ''

'' Yeah I noticed that it's pretty much 50/50 between English and french. I did hear some Spanish and of course Italian. '' Jessie notes. Meg nods before turning back to Kathrine,

'' How are your lessons going? Mama said you improved your singing a lot. '' She smirks,

'' You'll see soon enough. ''

They talk a few more hours until finally realizing that they're running really late by now so they quickly make their way back to the Opera. Before they reach the door, Meg turns back to them,

'' Thank you for that lovely evening. I cannot remember the last time I had so much fun. ''

'' Stop it you're making me blush…''

'' You don't have to thank us, we enjoyed your company too! '' Holly adds while Kat still smirks. Jessie winks at her from behind but isn't commenting further on this.

* * *

Holly and Jessie part from them at the entrance already to go back to Kat's and Holly's room. Meg and Kat walk together to the stage before turning in different directions. Kat stops as she sees Madam Giry. Biting her lip in a nervous manner she approaches the elder woman,

'' She's fine and not drunk. I didn't get her into trouble, either. ''

'' So Meg did tell you that I wanted her to be careful? ''

'' Nope. I'm just used to this already. Holly's parents didn't like me that much at first. I didn't exactly fit into the picture of a perfect friend. They like me now though, see me as part of the family. I wouldn't get Meg into trouble. I just… wanted to say that. '' Madam nods with a soft smile, her eyes moving to Meg.

'' She does seem happy. I haven't seen her like that since Christine left. ''

'' That's her best friend who married the childhood friend, right? ''

'' I took her in after her father died. She was a ballet dancer like Meg. One day Raoul visited the Opera with his parents for they were our new Patrons and they fell in love all over again. The engagement and wedding soon followed. ''

'' Sounds like the type of perfect love story you find in the books I never read. ''

'' Reading will not harm you. ''

'' I didn't say I don't read at all. I read a lot. I went through every Harry Potter, Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes. I read Hunger Games, I read Shakespeare and Charles Dickens. Stephen King and Cody McFadyen. Frankenstein, Dracula… I read Fan fictions too but I'm not sure if that counts. I do read a lot. Just not those perfect romance stories. ''

'' Are you holding a grudge against love? ''

'' Not at all. Jessie's absolutely in love with his girlfriend and wants to marry her as soon as he's in a steady job. Josh and Fiona are crazy for one another and want to move together, start a family. I just don't like to imagine that for myself. ''

'' I see. -Are you having lessons right now? ''

'' Yeah. Tomorrow we have a date again, right? ''

'' After breakfast, as always. ''

* * *

'' Great. See you tomorrow then, good night. '' She offers a friendly smile and quickly makes her way to the Chapel. Madam Giry looks after her. She did make Meg very happy. She and her friends. But it's not only her daughter that is in a better mood. The Phantom is more than pleased with her. Antoinette even could have sworn that she heard a little fondness in his voice the last time they talked. But of course that proud, stubborn man would never admit that. Not yet at least. Still, it has never happened before that he tried to teach someone else. He has told her about this being something he would love to do but in the end it never happened, for obvious reasons. Nobody would accept him as a teacher. Not if he is not willing to show himself to others. 'What kind of person would accept a teacher he cannot see?' he asked once.

A small smile comes to Antoinette's lips. What kind of person indeed.

* * *

'' Good evening Kathrine. I trust you had a pleasant evening? '' She smiles as he greets her the moment she enters the chapel. With an enthusiastic nod she allows her body to drop down on the window sill.

'' I did, thanks. I mean, Paris 21st century is pretty awesome but Paris 19th century is absolutely beautiful. Not as cool as London, but very close. ''

'' Yes, it has a magnetizing elegance that cannot easily be beaten. ''

'' So you've been there? ''

'' Not long ago, yes. At night, of course. But that did not rob it any of its charm. ''

'' How about a deal? If I do a good job at the performance, we go to town together. If you promise to make sure I don't run into something I wear a blindfold or keep my eyes closed the whole time. '' He hesitates a moment before answering her but she can hear the small smile in his voice,

'' It would be my greatest pleasure to accompany you. '' A comfortable silence covers her. They did grow a little closer than she meant to over the days. He's still strict but he spends more time talking to her and even praises her when she managed a note that was extremely hard for her before. He didn't tell her his name yet but she can't say that she minds much. She wants to see him, though. Even though she wouldn't press this because she also learned to know his temper. He really had her jumping yesterday. She pushed his limits and he got mad. Like, dangerous-killer-psychopath mad. But that doesn't change the fact that the curiosity is killing her slowly. Maybe he will show himself at some point. She sure hopes so.

* * *

'' Oh fuck, sorry! '' Kat abruptly drops to her knees to help gather everything that was scattered over the floor. On her way to the small practice room in which she always has her lessons with Madam Giry she didn't watch where she's going in her hurry and run over a bucket with all kinds of cleaning utensils. While breakfast she, Holly, Jessie and Meg got into another conversation and she kind of forgot that she actually had a date so she just jumped up at some point without saying goodbye. She was late almost every time by now, was it with the Phantom or with Madam. She was so sure she would be on time this time.

'' Please Miss, you do not have to- '' The lady that always cleans the stairs tries to stop her and take the brush from Kat's hands but the younger woman shakes her off,

'' A poppycock! I pushed it over, I clean it up. ''

'' You are a Diva, Mademoiselle, you should not be doing this. It is fine, really. This is my job after all. '' Kat smiles but continues to put the gathered items back into the bucket,

'' I'm a graduate from England who jumps in as an understudy. I've cleaned other stuff already, it won't kill me. Honestly, the worst that can happen to me is that I might chip a nail. '' The woman looks at her in silence. Kat wonders if there is actually assholes here that push shit over and let others clean it then. That's one reason why she couldn't do such a job, she would toss whatever they push over at their heads.

'' Thank you. ''

'' Don't mention it. See, my nails are fine. ''

'' It was still very kind of you. ''

'' Hey that medallion is really pretty. '' Her eyes moved to the woman's throat where she spotted a small golden medallion in the shape of a heart. The woman looks down at it with a soft smile,

'' It was a present of my daughter, her name is Chloé. She's turning 14 soon. It is… her dream to travel to your world actually. Maybe I will be able to make it a gift for her 18th birthday. '' Kat's eyes get an undefinable expression as she looks at the woman.

'' Why don't you come with us on the ship? I know a couple of rather cheap but good motels. You wouldn't have to pay for your way over there cause we already did, so it's the way back and the motel. And I think I know a motel that might give you a nice price because I was… working there. It might be a short visit but it will be a visit, right? ''

'' Oh I cannot accept that Miss. ''

'' Sure you can. We head out in a couple of weeks. Tell your daughter it's an early birthday present and get packed up. ''

'' Miss Jones! '' Before the woman has time to consider this, a voice upstairs calls out for her.

'' Gotta go. We talk later yeah? '' Kat flashes a smile and turns. She quickly climbs up the stairs to meet Monsieur Firmin and André who are looking at both of them rather bewildered. The maid jumps to her feet to call after Kat,

'' Y-yes. Thank you Miss! '' Kat stops a few steps before André and Firmin,

'' Call me Kat, everyone does. '' As soon as she's in front of both managers she notices Madam Giry walking up behind them. Her smile drops instantly,

'' Oh god I'm late again. I'm so sorry I was running to get to you but I accidentally ran over a bucket so I helped picking up everything I tossed around. '' Madam Giry nods in acceptance but the managers don't look that thrilled,

'' Miss Jones, with all due respect but you cannot just have a talk with everyone. '' Monsieur Firmin says in all policy. Kat titles her head in confuse,

'' What's wrong with talking? ''

'' Nothing but…'' André starts but trails off so that Firmin can pick up again,

'' It is not your standard. '' Kat's eyes narrow,

'' _What_. ''

'' You are a Diva and talking to the cleaning personal is below you. Your lack of experience has not yet done any harm to your reputation but we need to keep it that way. '' She looks over her shoulder briefly. The woman heard them. Kat can see it on the way she fumbles with something in the bucket in her attempt to not give any reaction. But there's hurt in her eyes. Kat's teeth grit,

'' Who do you think you are huh? You think being the fucking managers of this place makes you any better than her? You started off with _junk,_ in case you forget that while bathing in your beloved money. If I was you, I'd be really quiet now. '' Firmin looks at André before clearing his throat,

'' Miss Jones, the servants are, despite how important they are to us, not the kind of association you should- ''

'' Oh yeah I get it. I could actually start cleaning my own bullshit. Know what? Your rich asses would be lost without people that willingly clean up your dirt. Talking to the 'servants' is not the problem, ignorant assholes that made up this shitty hierarchy in the first place are. So if you excuse me now, I got lessons. I am allowed to talk to Madam Giry, right? Or are teachers not _worthy_ too! '' She pushes past them to walk up to Madam Giry. The older woman only faintly glances at them before placing a hand on Kat's back to lead her to their room,

'' That is not the kind of behavior you should show towards them. ''

'' They totally deserved it. ''

'' I am not saying they did not. But I do know you are capable of other retorts. You can be insulting but if you are, hide it under policy. '' Kat looks at her and laughs,

'' You're a number, Madam. ''

* * *

2 hours later they end their lesson. Before Kathrine can leave the room, the two managers pass her up and ask her for a word. She first want to tell them to go to hell but then she remembers Madam Giry's words and follows them…

* * *

As soon as the Phantom enters his small hiding spot he sees Kathrine walking around in the chapel, obviously worried. She has to be worried, she would not be here before him otherwise. This woman has the terrible habit to _always_ be late.

'' Kathrine, you are early. Did something happen? ''

'' Yeah. We've got a problem. Well, I do. Which is.. kind of yours too I guess. ''

'' What is it? ''

'' You know about the dance in the play? That Erissa's supposed to do with her husband? ''

'' Yes, I am aware of that dance. ''

'' Well Monsieur André and Monsieur Firmin asked me if I had to take any lessons for Waltz and I said I don't. ''

'' I do not see the problem? ''

'' I need them. '' A moment of silence goes through the room. Is she fooling around with him? Another attempt of hers to tease him?

'' Why would you decline the offer for lessons then? ''

'' Well one: I spend most of my time here to train the singing and let's be honest, I really need the singing lessons more than the dancing. -On the other hand I do manage the singing while I manage _zero_ dancing. ''

'' I still fail to understand your problem. Why will you not go and say you need them? That it was a mistake to decline the offer? ''

'' Cause I… kind of… said I'm good at that. ''

'' So you fear embarrassment. ''

'' No! ...yeah. Not really... The thing is, I'm a little strange. ''

'' So I noticed. '' She stops in her circling to look at the ceiling with a small glare,

'' Thanks. -My point is, I don't accept everyone as a teacher and if I don't like someone as my teacher my brain shuts off and I don't learn shit. Trust me, I got into trouble for that all the time back in school. '' He thinks about what she said another moment, trying to set everything together so that it makes sense to him.

'' So if I understand you right you fear you might not accept whoever they offer to teach you and learn nothing then? ''

'' Yep. ''

'' Would you accept me to teach you? '' She sighs, her arms cross over her chest, her hips pushing out to the left. She's growing frustrated. Every time she does she takes this stance.

'' What, you want to tell me in detail what to do? As nice as that offer is, I really doubt that would help. If I would have Wi-Fi here I could watch a tutorial on YouTube but… well, I don't. '' He re-thinks this again, tries to think about every possible consequence this could cause. In the end though, he stops at the same thought. If he wants this performance to be perfect, he has to take that step.

'' Kathrine, if I offer you proper dancing lessons, will you close your eyes and listen to what I say without complaining? '' He watches her eyes widen in both shock and confuse at the question. Slowly she nods,

''...Y-yeah. ''

'' Put out every candle except one and close your eyes. '' The Phantom watches with tension how Kathrine does what he asked of her. His eyes are so used to the darkness that the one candle is enough for him to properly see everything that's in the room. Kathrine, however, will probably see no further than a step away from the candle. In case she disobeys him and opens her eyes in an attempt to look at him he can quickly move into the shadows. Her eyes flutter close, her shoulders are slightly tensed. He silently moves from his hiding spot to the window of the chapel through which he can enter the room. The faintest screeching of the heavy gates of the window makes Kathrine wince,

'' That's you right? ''

'' Yes. Do not worry. '' He watches her nod, the tense slowly leaving her body but returning at once as he stops close behind her. Yet, the tense in her body is not an act of fear. She seems almost excited. He can see her hands trembling faintly, her teeth pulling on that ring in her lip. The closeness between them allows him to take in the sweet scent coming from her. A scent he cannot quite name but it fills his senses in the most pleasant ways. His hand slowly moves to one of his pockets. Swiftly he pulls out a piece of clothing and raises his arms to be able to place it over her eyes. She winces at the sudden contact, taking a step back what drives her right against his chest. His breathe halts in his lungs, the feeling of another body, her body, touching his almost too wonderful to be real.

'' You're taller than I thought…'' He breaks out of his trance at the soft whisper of her voice before him. The sudden question of how she imagined him burns on his tongue. And yet, the fear of how she might answer stops him from voicing his curiosity. He could not bear it if she told him she imagined him like a normal human being with simple displeasing contours. Someone who does not understand that there can be beauty in everything as long as ones face is just like the one of everybody else. Not like his own. Not like this curse that was put upon him. He shakes out of the thoughts and attaches the blindfold.

'' Can you see? ''

'' No. ''

'' Are you telling the truth? ''

'' Do you expect a liar to tell if she lies? '' He nods, a small smile tugging at his lips.

'' You would be right. It seems all I have is your word. '' As much as he hates to do so, he takes a step away from her. The warmth that was radiating from her body directly onto him now gone, leaving him cold. But the scent, that wonderful scent is still in his mind. Carefully he brushes his fingers along her shoulder to gesture her to turn around, afraid he might hurt her if he tightens his grip just the tiniest bit. Luckily she cooperates and turns to face him. Her lips are parted slightly, her nose twitching softly with every new breathe she inhales. For a few moments he just stands in front of her, his hands in height of where he has to put them, but too scared to actually touch her. Suddenly one of her hands rises and touches his chest only millimeters above his heart. Suddenly he feels frozen, his eyes wide and his mouth open, ready to scold her for allowing her hands to wander, to touch the monster before her that only yearns to stand in her beauty for a little while longer. And yet his lips don't speak a word, unable to do anything else than just watch how her other hand moves to his arm which is still raised in front of her shoulder. Her fingers softly make contact with his gloved hands, brushing over each finger as if she tries to paint him in her mind. Almost too tender for him to notice, her fingers move along his hand up along his arm before halting on his shoulder.

His breathe quickens, his body gaining a both excited and frightened tremor. If her hands move to his face, he has to stop her. Right now though, while her hands just move below his throat in such softness, he wishes for this moment to never end. If ever before someone touched him with such tenderness he cannot remember. All his memory can bring up is the abuse he knew before Madam Giry saved him from his torturers and hid him from the world and its cruelties. How often has he dreamed to be touched like this, if only for a few moments. How often has he thought about begging god to grant him just one day where he can walk among others without having to fear for rejection. But god was never one of his allies and he doubted that begging would do him any good. Still, at this moment where he is here and Kathrine is right in front of him, touching him, smiling softly in the dimmed light, he begins to believe that there might be a god after all. That the anger he held for him might be fading slowly. Every day he wondered about the reason of his birth. If there was any purpose for him on this world or if his fate only was to suffer all by his own. But now he knows. He was born so that she could come and save him. Save him from the hatred, the loneliness and the pain. Maybe, save him from himself. Maybe it was his destiny to meet her. And if it truly is, if she truly is his destiny, he might be thanking god on his knees later.

The hand on his chest moves to the other shoulder, never breaking contact to his body while that. The only sound in the room coming from his erratic breathing and the sound of her fingers sliding over the fabric of his clothing. Against his own will, his eyes close as her hands wrap tenderly around his neck, skin brushing over skin. Her hands are so soft, softer than anything he ever felt. And yet, at some parts he feels small bits of rougher skin. Completely captured by the rush he completely misses to stop her as her hand gently touches his exposed cheek. It almost feels like his skin would be tingling, begging for her to never let go of him. Only as her other hand moves to cup his masked cheek, his hands catch her wrists. Her teeth abruptly sink into her bottom lip and her head titles down,

'' Sorry…'' Her voice so silent that he can barely hear it over the sound of his beating heart.

'' It is not your fault. '' He releases her hands and takes another step away from her, turning his back to her. He should have stopped her sooner, should have softly rejected her instead of being this harsh. How was she supposed to know where he is most vulnerable? What if she cannot forgive him? What if his refusal is now enough reason for her to realize what kind of a man, what monster he really is?

'' Did Madam Giry teach you how to dance or did you learn that as a kid? ''

''...No. I taught myself. '' She grins suddenly,

'' A few candles burning in the dark, a half-full glass of wine standing on an old organ while you sway around all by yourself for hours on with only your own humming as music? '' The Phantom stops dead in his tracks again, looking at her surprised and with a small tad of nervousness in the back of his mind,

'' How do you…'' He trails off. Kathrine's grin turns into a devilish smirk as she titles her head a little,

'' Shot in the dark. 's kind of how I imagine you spending your time. You don't even want me to see you, I doubt you really interact with other people. And if I think about the way others describe you I would even go so far to say that… you've never really spoken to anyone except Madam Giry. ''

'' You are correct. ''

'' I can consider myself honored then, can I? '' His heart pulls together in his chest painfully,

 _'Cursed' would be more like it._

'' You okay? I… didn't hurt you by touching your face right? ''

'' No, no of course not. Forgive me, it is just…''

'' You don't have to explain, it's okay. Really. '' Her hands reach out for him again until they brush his arms. They move downwards to his hands to gently tug on the gloves. Confused about why she is pulling them off, he watches how she stands with both objects in her hands for a while before putting them blindly into the pockets of her pants. Before he can ask her what exactly she is doing, her hands reach for his again and her fingers brush over his skin gently, her voice soft,

'' There, much better right? '' He looks at her with wide eyes. Why would she so willingly touch him if he is not even willing to explain himself to her? How can she not be afraid of the man who is so determined to never let her see him? Can this beautiful angel in front of him really exist or did he go so mad in his loneliness that he made her up? Will he wake up if he is not careful enough and find everything to be a dream? No. Her hands are holding his, her scent is filling his nose, her body is right there with him. That is no illusion. The faintest smile comes to his lips as he leads one of her hands to his shoulder while taking her other in his. He hesitates a moment before stepping so close to her that he can place each tip of his foot directly in front of hers,

'' We will start slowly. Try to follow my feet with yours. '' He feels her nod against his chest. Loud enough for both of them to hear properly he starts to hum softly, a calm melody with a hint melancholia in it. The Phantom glances down at Kathrine to find her smiling,

'' That's beautiful. Did you think that up? ''

'' Yes. '' Her smile becomes a tad wider, her hand giving his a gentle squeeze. Even thought he tries his best to stay calm and untouched by her closeness, the Phantom cannot help the flutter of his heart. She appreciates his music, she accepts him as a teacher, likes him, as she said before. Slowly he starts to move, setting one foot after the other. They keep at the basic steps for what feels to him like an eternity and yet he doesn't find the time that passes unpleasant. He enjoys every second of the closeness between them, every smallest apology of Kathrine if she accidentally steps on his foot or misses a beat. Rolling out of his arms and back into them so that her back touches his chest is most difficult for her. She stumbled rather clumsily into his arms many times before finally making the first tender and correct move. He loves the happy remarks when she moves especially swiftly or thanks him when he appreciates her.

After almost 3 hours Kathrine manages a perfect Waltz with everything that is on it. Her cheeks have a sweet shade of red on them as she laughs, her hand still on his shoulder and her forehead resting comfortably on his chest. He did not let go of her hand yet and she does not seem to mind. He can feel her warm skin on his chest.

'' That was a lot more fun than I thought it would be. ''

'' I am glad you appreciate my way of teaching. ''

'' I really do. Can we do this again tomorrow or do you want me to focus on the singing? '' She titles her head back to reveal her face to him. His eyes lid a little as he smiles warmly at her, his voice soft and praising,

'' Your skills improved immensely in both areas. If you wish, I will gladly hold another lesson to improve your steps even more. ''

'' That would be awesome. Do you know anymore dances than Waltz? '' He hesitates a moment at that,

'' I do... but none of them will be needed for the performance. ''

'' That doesn't mean you can't try to teach me those too, right? I bet dancing with a partner is much more fun than doing so alone. ''

'' It is indeed. I enjoyed this evening more than any in the past that I can remember. ''

'' See. Come on, it'll be fun! '' Her fingers on his shoulder softly curl into his jacket, her other hand back over his heart to look at him urging. He sighs and takes the hand on his chest in both of his own gently,

'' How could I ever refuse you anything? '' He guides her hand up to his face to press a tender kiss to her knuckles and lingers a moment longer on them as he feels the faint scars under his lips. He looks from her hand back to her face to find her smile still present, the red on her cheeks a tad deeper. The Phantom can feel his his heart swell in his chest. Dancing has always been one of his favorite activities even though he was forced to do it on his own. To have someone with him who presses him to share his, granted, limited knowledge is more than he could ever hope for. And oh, how he enjoys this time with her. The closeness between them, the faint intimacy they converse in, the pleasant atmosphere around them that allows him to forget what he is, even if it is only for a short time. For Kathrine does not want to press him into showing himself to her, she accepts what little he offers her without complaining. Her presence is so much more than a simple gift. To him, she is a miracle. But how can a Phantom ever deserve an angel?

Suddenly dark thoughts begin to circle his current happiness and threaten to pull him back into the miseries of his mind. He releases her hand from his grasp and takes a step away from her, his hands curling to fists.

'' I really didn't hurt you as I touched your face, right? '' The warm feeling that consumed him only moments ago drowns more and more in despair. Why does she want to know that? Is it only worry or a plan to attempt to touch him further? To find out what monster the man in front of her truly is? To humiliate him like the world did? He shakes his head internally, she would not trick him like this.

'' No, you did not. '' Kathrine nods and offers another warm smile. She will never know that this smile is what pulls him back out of the depression at once. Without even meaning to his expression changes into one of tenderness. Slowly his hand rises to her face. Even though he barely touches her, he can feel her soft skin against the back of his hand, can feel the warmth of her cheeks. He withdraws his hand as she tries to lean into the touch, not willing to give himself the chance to hurt her in any way. Just as his arm comes to rest at his side though, Kathrine closes the gape between them again. One hand softly places itself on his shoulder while the other other rests upon his heart again as she stands up on her toes. Before he has time to wonder about what she might be planning to do, Kathrine's lips softly kiss the Phantom's exposed cheek. He gasps. His body comes to an entire halt at once and for a moment he fears she might feel how madly his heart starts to beat in his chest.

'' Thank you... for everything... '' Her voice is a whisper, her breathe tickling his cheek. She leans back and offers him a little space by taking a small step back. Still with wide open eyes he looks down at her, his hand coming to his cheek. Internally he tries to curse himself for the heat that he can feel all over his face. He is a grown man in his mid 30s, he should not blush like a young boy over a simple kiss to his cheek. And yet, another part of him reasons that this was the first kiss he ever received. One can say that would be a reason to blush. His skin tingles pleasantly where her lips lay only seconds ago what pushes the embarrassment over his reaction far into the back of his mind.

'' Sorry… Did that go way past your comfort zone? '' Kathrine face is twisted in worry.

'' N-no… no it was…'' He trails off. A sudden panic grabs a tight hold of him and pulls him deep into the dark abyss of his mind. A voice reminding him strictly about what lies hidden behind the mask causes him to take a step back. Now she may thinks he is worthy of this kind of gratitude but latest after she finds out about what he is she will feel repulsed at the thought of what she did. That she touched his horrid face with her angelic lips. He takes another step away from her, only faintly noticing the worry displaying on her face.

'' Goodnight. '' As fast as his legs will carry him, he flees from the room and rushes back down into his layer, only stopping when the gate is completely closed behind him. This should not have happened. He cannot let her believe that he is a man like any other. As much as it hurts him, he cannot allow himself to come any closer to her.

But oh, how he wishes to…

* * *

His mind wanders back to the kiss countless times that night. He tries to play his organ in the hope that maybe his beloved music can take his mind off of Kathrine but he soon has to accept the fact that no passable note will come from his fingers so he retreats to bed. After tossing and turning for hours on, unable to find sleep, he decides to drown his worries in wine. Only after emptying a almost 2 bottles he finally passes out and falls into a troubled slumber...

* * *

Kat's quiet the next day. Her mind is filled with self-blame and anger about herself as well as him. If she clearly stepped over a line with him there he could just have told her instead of running off in panic. But he didn't. But mostly she's angry at herself. Holly noticed that something bothers her the moment she got up because, while she usually had to punch Kat out of bed, this time she quietly woke up right away. Holly tried to talk to her but Kat ignored her. It's not like she doesn't want to talk about it. It's just that she can't quite accept it that this is her fault, not his. She can't even admit it to herself, how can she tell Holly? As Holly suddenly gets the idea he hurt her, though, she has no other choice but to speak up.

'' We were dancing. '' Holly stops in her ranting and slowly sits down on the bed next to her,

'' What? ''

'' I need to dance in the Opera and well… You know me, I don't like everyone as a teacher. I talked to him about that and suddenly he just offered me lessons. I had to blow out every candle except one and he blindfolded me but…'' She breaks off, a smile comes to her lips at the memories.

'' But? ''

'' I felt my way along and he let me. His hands are large and rough but the way he touches me is.. it's like he's afraid he could break me if he just lays one finger on me. He didn't say anything as I tried to, you know, kind of make myself a picture of him. His clothing is really soft. I think I felt a jacket, a waistcoat and a shirt. I even think there was a cravat. Like, he's never allowing anyone to see him but still dresses really neat. '' Kat doesn't even notice the way Holly grins for a moment.

'' And where is the problem? ''

'' I… might have pressed a little too far… He was fine as I touched the left side of his face but as I tried to cup his right cheek he stopped me. I abruptly apologized and he told me it's alright. He also denied that I hurt him but… there is something with the right side of his face. And whatever it is he does everything to keep me from finding out. ''

'' The condition he mentioned, maybe? ''

'' Probably. ''

'' And that's why you're so depressed? He did say it's fine, didn't he? You knew he doesn't want to show himself because of some condition. ''

'' Yeah I know and it's not that. You're right everything would be great… if I would have stopped there. '' Holly groans,

'' What did you do. ''

'' After we danced we had… kind of a moment… and I kissed his cheek to thank him. He stopped moving and run off. I swear I felt him trembling in panic. I know a panic attack when I see, or feel, it and that was one. ''

'' You just kissed him? Are you sure you weren't trying another go at his face? ''

'' I didn't try to touch him again, I swear. ...I-I think he won't come to our lesson today… I messed up. ''

'' You didn't. '' Kat gives a sarcastic, dry laugh and gets to her feet,

'' I did! I know he's shy and really nervous about this and I go all... _me_ on him! Por qué tengo que ser tan estúpido?! '' ( _Why do I have t_ _o_ _be so stupid_ ) Holly grabs her on her shoulders,

'' Calm down Kat. Just apologize again. You're going to him after the lesson with Madam Giry, right? ''

'' Good, then talk to him. Tell him you're sorry and you won't do it again. Make sure he believes you. And Kat… don't do it again. ''

'' I won't…''

'' I'm sure he'll forgive you. ''


	4. Chapter 4 - Something There

**Chapter 4:** There's Something There

* * *

He watches Kathrine while her lesson with Madam Giry. She seems unfocused, itchy, almost. About him? Did she finally realize what kind of monster he is? Was she lying to him and she could see him the whole time? His mind wanders to dark, horrible places that only slightly give him free again as the women end their lesson and Kat makes her way to the chapel. He's there before her, of course he is. Through that he can watch how she arrives. Her eyes are careful, her body tensed,

'' Phantom? '' She waits for him to answer. He wants to answer her, reach out for her, touch her again. But he can't. He cannot take such risks ever again.

'' I know you're there. '' She doesn't sound very convinced about her own words.

'' Come on, the performance is only 1 night away. You can't just ignore me now! '' His hands curl to fists at his sides. He should not let her suffer for his mistakes. It is not her fault that he cannot tell her the truth. She needs his assistance, especially this close to the premiere. He has to stay professional. He has to answer her. But he doesn't. Kathrine grows visible irritated,

'' I just kissed your _cheek_ , I wasn't trying to rape you or touch you anymore! You _said_ the kiss was alright! I didn't try to step over your comfort zone I swear! I just wanted to thank you! It's not fair of you to just ingnore me like this! Yes I made a mistake! And I'm sorry! Okay? I'm really really sorry! '' This time she only waits a few moments for him to answer before obviously quickly making up her mind. She nods to herself and sits down on the ground cross-legged with her hands in her lap. He closes his eyes as he turns his back to her to return to his layer. Before he left her completely, he can hear her calling out to him,

'' I'm not gonna leave this room until you talk to me and if I have to stay the whole damn night down here! ''

* * *

Hours later he returns, ready to be met with an empty room. He is shocked when he finds Kathrine in the same position he left her in. Her body slacked forwards, leaving her back a little round. Her chin rests almost on her chest so far is it bent. She looks like she is about to fall asleep any second now, like her body would simply collapse. Her eyes are so tired that he can feel his heart aching at the way she keeps her eyes open, too stubborn to give it up and return to her room. Not in a million years would he have believed that she would actually wait for him. He thought that by now she must be long gone and only the worry for her mood drove him back here. Without permitting himself the time to think this through he makes his way to the window and opens it. He can see her body jumping slightly at the familiar screech but she makes no move to acknowledge his presence in any way. Slowly he leans down to her and puts a hand on her shoulder,

'' Kathrine…'' Her eyes close abruptly but he doubts that this is a gesture of acceptance to her promise to not try to look at him. Her face is twisted in anger, her hands curling to small fists in her lap as she turns her face away from him. The Phantom watches how she starts to pull on the ring in her bottom lip roughly.

'' ...It was not your fault- '' Before he can finish his sentence she slaps his hand off her shoulder and jumps to her feet with a snort,

'' I _know_ that. Trust me, I was _not_ blaming myself! I'm blaming _you_! '' She turns to face him and for the blink of an eye he believes she might simply break her promise in her anger. And yet, even before she turned to him completely, he can see that her eyes are closed. That alone sends another painful sting through his chest. How could he hurt her like this?

'' Of course. You have every right for that… Forgive me, my angel…'' Tenderly he allows is hand to move along her cheek similar to the way he did yesterday. For a moment it seems like her expression softens and she's leaning into his touch like she did yesterday. But then she slaps his hand away again and firmly crosses her arms over her chest before releasing them again to make wild movements,

'' See, this is what I mean! You can't be all affectionate in one moment and completely cold in the other! ''

'' You do not understand- ''

'' Well here's an idea, how about you talk to me then instead of- '' She breaks off and yelps as she trips in her roused striding and falls to the floor. In one large step the Phantom is next to her and catches her before she can hit the ground, all anger completely blown away. Through she did not knew where else to hold on to, her arms instantly wrapped around his neck but her eyes did not open once. For a few moments there's silence.

'' I'm not dead, right? '' He almost rolls his eyes.

'' A fall of this height would not have killed you. ''

'' Who knows, I could have hit my head on something and wham! Dead. Close the casket, drown it in the ocean. -I didn't even write my last will yet. Who's gonna take care of the plants that are probably dead by now? '' The thought causes an unpleasant shudder to run down his back. He could not bear it if something were to happen to her.

'' Please, do not talk about things like that. '' She snorts again and steps out of his embrace,

'' Like _you_ would care. '' Quickly the worry is pushed into the back of his mind, overpowered by anger. How can she make him so angry in such a short time? It is maddening!

'' Do not think for one moment I would not care about you, Kathrine! '' He grabs her arm roughly but she frees herself from his grasp almost at the same second to glare at him as good as she can with her eyes closed,

'' What the hell is your problem then?! I get it, there's something with your face! Boo-fucking-hoo! That's no excuse for being all affectionate in one moment and a fucking asshole the next! ''

'' I am trying to protect you! ''

'' I don't need your protection! I'm a grown woman, I can take care of myself! ''

'' Kathrine I do not appreciate your tone! '' He warns but she only gives a dry laugh,

'' Oh go find yourself someone who's actually afraid of you, will you? '' He stops at that. How can she not be afraid of him? Maybe it is not him who is turning mad, maybe it was her all along. Or maybe, just maybe, it is both of them. He thinks about what to say but cannot find anything worth the breathe. He feels dizzy, ill, almost.

'' Phantom? '' Her voice lost some of its tense.

'' Yes? ''

'' Are you a little hungover? You smell a lot like wine. '' The Phantom takes a step back in embarrassment and checks his breathing faintly to realize he really smells a lot like the wine that served him as an aid for a deep slumber. He looks back up at Kat to find her grinning, her head titled to the side while fumbling for something in her pockets,

'' Here. '' She holds her hand out to him, in her palm two small, white drops.

'' What's that? '' She chews a little more obvious on whatever she has in her mouth and puts a sticky white mass between her teeth to show it to him faintly,

'' Gum. Tastes great and covers the smell of the wine. Now, I don't usually say that, but don't swallow. '' She breaks off to giggle to herself, causing the Phantom to frown at her while accepting the two small white drops and putting them in his mouth. He instantly tastes the minty flavor that leaves no place for the old taste of the wine in his mouth.

'' What is so funny? '' She stop her giggling for a moment before laughing loudly. Obviously unable to support herself any longer she slides down the wall, her legs pressed tightly against her chest, her hands covering her eyes as she keeps on laughing.

'' I'll tell you that when you're a little older. ''

'' I am certain that you are the younger one of us, Kathrine. '' He remarks with his eyebrow risen,

'' Trust me, if that kiss on the cheek puts you out already you would get a heart attack if I explain that one to you. '' He raises his eyebrow at her but before he can say anything she leans her head back,

'' Okay so now you can say you're sorry, then I'm gonna say I'm sorry- No actually I'm not gonna do that, I didn't do anything wrong. Anyway, then you can help me up and we can sing or dance some more before I fall asleep here. '' Kathrine stretches her arms out to him grinning, wiggling her fingers. He smiles and takes her hands in his to pull her up, glad that she is willing to forgive him for now.

'' If my angel commands. '' He chews with his mouth closed but soon realizes something strange about the substance.

'' It is not dissolving? ''

'' That's the point. That's why it's called _c_ _hewing_ gum. It'll start to taste nasty after some time though, just spit it out then and put it in the trash. Don't just spit it on the ground, it takes years until it's properly decomposed and nature's wrecked enough already. '' He nods and focuses on the upcoming task.

'' I am sorry for ignoring you, Kathrine. You have my word that something like this will never happen again. I swear I will explain everything to you at some point. ''

'' You're forgiven, Romeo. '' Like yesterday he takes her hand in his and presses a kiss to her knuckles, his eyes trained on her,

'' Merci, mon ange. Vous êtes trop gentil. '' ( _You are too kind_ ) He watches how a shudder runs down her back while she smirks at him,

'' Oh I really like it when you talk french. I didn't understand the second part, but I like it. '' He smiles,

'' Are you ready for the lesson? ''

* * *

'' What other dances do you know? '' She asks as soon as they finished their third dance. Her steps are as confident as the ones of someone who dances for years now. The Phantom is completely convinced that she will do perfect at the performance. By now she wears the blindfold again. She put it on before they started the first dance and handed him his gloves while that, too. He smiles almost sheepishly at her,

'' I have to point out before that I am very untrained in those. After all I only had myself to learn. I am briefly familiar with Tango and Salsa. ''

'' Wasn't learning those, like, super confusing? ''

'' It was… challenging. I do have a lot of time on my hands though. ''

'' Can you teach me? '' He stops,

'' Which one? ''

'' Both. But I'd like to try Tango first. I've always liked it and I love the music but never tried to visit classes for that. I didn't have the time and patience for that, to be honest. ''

''...It is a very passionate dance... and demands _close_ body contact. '' He warns. She titles her head to the side,

'' I'm pretty close to you now right? '' She smiles while he looks down at them. Their bodies are touching at their chests, his hand is still holding hers. Even though Waltz does not need such closeness, they somehow ended up like this. He did remember that they both stepped closer at their second dance but to that time it didn't even occur to him that this is far too personal and certainly not professional enough. And yet, he cannot bring himself to let go of her hand or step away.

'' It also requires firmer touches than Waltz. '' She shrugs,

'' I'm not the one with issues about touching. To that comes, I'm not going to break if you grab me more firmly, cross my heart, I'm not made of sugar. -See, bones. '' She lets go of his hand to knock her fist onto her elbow. He bites the inside of his cheek,

'' Are you sure? ''

'' Pretty sure. ''

'' Very well. But we will not begin with any other dance before your performance. ''

'' Sounds fair. ''

* * *

At the next day rehearsals begin for her. She has practiced her steps, her stands, her singing and her dancing over the week. Now she has to proof that she can do this with the other performers too. She only has 4 appearances on the stage, 4 songs. Think of me is probably the song she could sing in her sleep by now. The first song, though also demands her to dance with Piangi at the same time. Luckily she only steps on his foot once and misses a beat twice. To her surprise her partner is quite understanding even though she's taking the place of his wife.

 _That's what I call professional. On the other hand, he's probably used to that already._

Rehearsals take almost the whole day. The others of Kat's class tried to take a sneak peak but luckily they were send away. However, she saw her teacher sneaking around sometimes. Every time she noticed him she sent him the most horrible death glare she could bring up without interrupting the rehearsal. The small mistakes she made were enough for her, she didn't want to bring more chaos into it. Everyone else did perfectly fine. On the other hand, she is an amateur after all. Demanding a marvelous performance of her would be very unfair. Still, she did get many praises for the progress her voice made in the past days.

After around 5 hours she's finally free to go. Before she can leave the stage to meet Holly and Jessie at the dront door, Meg stops her by putting a hand on her shoulder. Before she can greet the younger girl, Meg's arms already wrap around her in a tight embrace,

'' Kat, that was wonderful! You sound perfect! '' Kat laughs at the compliment and returns the hug,

'' Thanks Meg. 's pretty tough though. I was really nervous to mess this up. ''

'' You did not. A few mistakes happen all the time. Those were your first rehearsals after all. ''

'' Your dancing was awesome. I'm quite flexible too but you totally rock this. '' Meg's smile becomes a tad more sweet,

'' Thank you Kat. I am very impressed with your voice too. Your teacher must be really good. '' Kat's grin changes into a rather soft smile,

'' He is, yeah. He's great. -Hey, you wanna join us? We wanted to hit that cafe again. I really need a drink. ''

'' I would love to. ''

'' Great. ''

'' Miss Jones? '' Both girls look up to see Monsieur André walking up to them, an almost proud smile on his lips.

'' Meg can you maybe say that I need a moment and we both have to get changed before we go? Holly and Jessie should be waiting at the door. Just tell them to wait there and if you're done sooner go ahead, I'll join later. Tell Holly to order my drink. '' She nods and with a polite bow at the manager she runs off. Kat's eyes abruptly move to the man who claps into his hands before rubbing his palms against each other,

'' That was wonderful. I did not think your first rehearsals would go this well. ''

'' Oh thanks for the faith. ''

'' I did not mean it like that. ''

'' I know, I'm just pulling your leg. I didn't think it would be this easy either. ''

'' Well you did spend your past week with strict lessons after all. I know Madam Giry is a good teacher. She was here already before we came. '' Kat titles her head with a curious but polite smile,

'' Why did you become the managers of this thing here? Interested in the music or the dancers? '' Her smile changes into a grin as she sees the slightly awkward blush on his ears as he clears his throat,

'' It… -We had another business before coming here. For Scrap Metal. ''

'' How did you come from junk to Opera? ''

'' Scrap metal. '' He corrects quickly. She laughs,

'' That's basically the same, sounds prettier but that's all. It's cool, I'm not gonna laugh. Everyone's got some kind of job, right? I was a stripper and you don't look at me like you think I'm the biggest whore either. ''

'' Of course I do not. It is not my place to judge you. ''

'' You did judge that woman pretty soon though. ''

'' That is, in all policy, something else. ''

'' It's not. ''

'' -To answer your question, it was coincidence, really. Firmin and I wanted to change our perspectives for long as we read about the Opera. It was a wink of heaven. '' Kat's small glare changes back into a honest smile,

'' Well way I heard, you do a great job. People here respect you. '' He looks at her surprised,

'' Really? ''

* * *

'' Yeah. ''

'' Well, I am glad to hear that our work is appreciated. '' Kat crosses her arms over her chest and pushes her hip out. André watches that but gives no comment, she is not in rehearsal right now after all.

'' How come you never got a real understudy for Carlotta? ''

''…Most new singers were too frightened of the Opera Ghost. He never accepted new singers very easily, especially not if he thought they would not suit the Opera. The only reason Signora Guidicelli stayed is for her… obstinacy. '' Kat laughs loudly,

'' Sweet way to say it. But… you do realize that I'm only doing this for that one night, right? I mean, sure, it's awesome to be a singer and all, I really like it but… I can't do this more often. '' He looks at her confused as he notes the small bitterness in her eyes. Silently he wonders if there is another reason why she does not wish to stay than just a plain disinterest for the job. It is more than obvious after all that she seems to enjoy the work,

'' We are very grateful for your assistance, even though it is only for one night. It is, however, a waste of talent if I may say so. You have a beautiful voice, especially after your training. ''

'' I hope I do… I don't wanna mess this up…'' He watches how the young woman's cheerful expression drops for a moment, revealing the nervousness. For a moment he thinks that he saw a faint tremble on her skin. He titles his head in pity but before he can offer any words of comfort, she regains her smirk,

'' Not that people's ears suddenly start bleeding because of me. '' He laughs,

'' I guarantee you, you will not be this bad. ''

'' Only a little bad then, nice. Instead of a crowd of bleeding people that try to sue me, I'll only have a curtain drop down on me. Well I can cross that off my To-Do list then. ''

'' You are quite witty, Miss Jones. '' Kat leans over to him and smiles,

'' I tell myself every morning and before I go to sleep. '' He glances down at her hand as she gently nudges his shoulder,

'' I better get going. I need to change and meet my friends, they're waiting. Was really nice talking to you. ''

'' The honor was all mine. '' Kat attempts a polite bow, laughs at how bad it was and turns on her heels to quickly run to her dressing room. Monsieur André stares after her for a few moments, a smile on his lips. He cannot deny that she has a certain charm he might even miss after the class departs from the Opera house.

* * *

As soon as she steps out from behind the blinding where she changed her cloths, she sighs. After asking a woman that passed by to help her out of the corset she can finally breathe freely again. As much as she kind of likes this dress-up game, she does enjoy her simple pants and the loose shirt with a simple bra. With an almost satisfied purr, Kat stretches her body and sits down in front of her mirror to get that makeup off her face.

'' You did very well my angel. '' She halts slightly in her attempt to reach out for the tissues before grabbing two of them and dipping them in Vaseline, a smile coming to her lips,

'' I knew it. You little stalker spied after me again. '' He chuckles,

'' Not for long, I promise. I did not want to take myself the pleasure of being surprised while the performance. I only stayed for your dance. '' Kat laughs,

'' I stepped on his foot and missed two beats. I'm surprised he stayed this polite. ''

'' Unlike his wife, Monsieur Piangi is a professional. ''

'' Is she really that bad? ''

'' I will not deny that her voice has a great potential. But that potential lies in alto, not soprano. ''

'' Isn't she singing both? ''

'' Exactly. ''

'' Did you ever try to _tell_ _her_ _that_? '' As she receives no answer she hums with a smirk.

'' There we go. '' She sighs with a small chuckle and shakes her head,

'' What's your judgment Master? Am I gonna mess up at the performance with my mistakes? ''

'' I didn't expect rehearsals to go without any flaws. Monsieur Piagi and I do not share many similarities in neither build nor motion. Of course it is more difficult for you to dance with him. '' Kat's lips turn into a smirk,

'' What, you trying to tell me you're my only true partner? '' He chuckles again, his voice sounding a little arrogant,

'' I did teach you after all. ''

'' I get it. '' She wipes the last bits of white out of her face and quickly puts on her own makeup,

'' Look cupcake, I'd really love to chat some more but I've got a date. I'll be on time for our lesson though. ''

'' You will be late, as always. ''

'' Fine, I _try_ to be on time. ''

'' Do not drink too much alcohol Kathrine. I do not wish for you to become ill. '' She gets to her feet and looks at herself in the mirror another time,

'' Just one drink, I promise. See you later. ''

'' Enjoy yourself. ''

* * *

The next day goes as the day before. After breakfast she has rehearsals for most of the day. This time she only stepped once on his foot and forgot her text at the last song. Nobody seemed to be really worried that she could make any mistakes while the performance. If only she would be just as confident about herself. Right now they see her progress and keep the fact that she's an amateur in mind and think that she will be just great after today's rehearsals and the small bit of training tomorrow before the premiere.

After rehearsals she meets up with her class. Mister Williams picked her up from her dressing room and lead her into the dining room. He even put his hands over her eyes before entering the room with her. They got her a cake and champagne as a kind of previous-party to wish her luck. Most of the evening she spent with talking to the others of her class. While that she noted something in their eyes. Like they're very excited about something. They didn't want to tell her what it is and she didn't want to worry about something else so she dropped it. After the small 'party' she took a walk with her teacher and he took care that she's not going into any panic attack. He took it on him to make sure she's taking her pills. He keeps them with him to make sure she's not taking too many like she did before she accepted his offer to hold onto them for her. He knows of her anxiety and schizophrenia for 4 years now. She told him after he saw her while she tried to keep down an episode. She was so wrapped up in her panic and the hallucinations that she barely noticed how he quickly got her home. Her mother wasn't there and he decided to stay with her. It took her a few hours before she was calm enough to realize what happened. Of course he demanded an explanation. He was always like that. He's the type of teacher that takes care of his students. He told Kat that he had someone with similar symptoms before in the school he previously worked at. Just that Kat's condition was a lot worse. He contacted her psychiatrist and since then they became pretty close. Friends, in a way. They don't go out to shop or watch a movie but they do meet up for a coffee or a drink once in a while. Or to pick up women, once or twice. In the back of her mind she feels bad for not telling him about her lessons with the Phantom as he asked her. But this is not about her. The secret is about him. She told Holly already, that's bad enough. She can't tell him, even if she wanted too.

When they both get back to the Opera, she's late for her lessons. Again. She hugs her teacher briefly before entering the Opera. The moment she crosses the front door she starts running. There's so much running that past week.

'' Kathrine. ''

'' Sorry I'm late, I was on a walk with my teacher. ''

'' I know. ''

'' Of course you do. ''

'' You do look close. '' His voice is tensed. She sighs,

'' We are, kind of. I'm sorry I'm late. ''

'' It cannot be changed now, can it. '' She almost winces at the way he snaps at her. He was angry before. As she told him he wouldn't care about her he was mad, but now he sounds like he has to contain himself from stepping up to her and hit her. She was late before but he never really was that angry. Maybe it's because the premiere is tomorrow.

'' Let us begin. Tomorrow will be no time for another lesson. '' She nods.

* * *

His anger faded slowly over the lesson and at the end he talks to her like he always does. His mood started to change gradually as they danced. Maybe it was the contact, he seems to enjoy that even though he's shy about it. Silently Kathrine wonders if he ever really touched someone. If he was hugged and kissed before. If he ever snuggled up against someone. He's older than her, that's for sure. After he ran from her she was so wrapped up in her thoughts of having messed it up that she never considered that maybe this condition is not only reason for his shyness but also caused some trauma in his childhood. She did wonder how he ended up here, of course she did. But she never gave it too much thought. Right now though all those questions come up in her. How long is he here already? Was there ever someone who touched him, hugged him? Is that condition a result of abuse or was it some kind of birth defect that caused his parents to drop him off on the street? The thought angers her. He is polite, gentle, nice. Despite his small blackouts he's a perfect gentleman. The thought of him being alone, not by choice but because he's forced to, fills every vein in her with rage.

'' Kathrine…'' She stops on her way to the door and turns, her eyes moving over the roof. They soon left the chapel after their second dance. He said he wanted to show her something. He brought her to the roof. It's beautiful. Of course he stayed behind her. It would have been so easy for her to just turn. But she didn't. Instead she looked at the amazing view in front of her. It's almost like she can see the whole town from up there. His hands were on her shoulders, maybe to make sure she won't turn. She told him that it's calming her, high objects with views like that always do. He promised her no one would ever be harmed here. She believed him.

'' What is it cupcake? ''

'' Do not talk to anyone after the performance before you talked to me. '' Maybe he's on the small roof above her. It could be. She wouldn't try to go look for him.

'' What? Why? ''

'' I wish to be the first to congratulate you. '' Her eyebrow raises, a grin on her lips,

'' Sweet. And a little creepy. But okay, I'm going straight for my room. You better be there on time! ''

'' Of course. '' She nods and leaves the roof with a last smile at the nothingness on it, knowing he will see it. He always does.


	5. Chapter 5 - I Might Be Dreaming Awake

**Chapter 5:** I May Be Dreaming Awake

* * *

The next day went by too fast. The performance started too fast. It feels like only seconds passed between the moment where she finally found sleep and the moment she had to put on her costume. Her class quickly peeked in to wish her good luck again before they went to their seats. Her teacher gave her a pill extra this morning as she pulled him into a boxroom and made it clear that she's gonna throw up in the middle of stage if he doesn't. He gave her a third one without complaining, he knew she wasn't lying. It was very obvious that she wasn't. They are working well, her body's not shaking so hard that she falls off the chair. But the inner nervousness still makes her nauseous. She called out for the Phantom but he didn't answer what only strengthened her panic. Right now she could really use a small word of calm from him.

Luckily she is allowed to wait in her dressing room until she has to step on stage. Madam Giry said she would come and get her. She wanted to stay here so that she could talk to the Phantom but he's not here and she's slowly but surely getting into a full panic attack. In times like this she wishes she could look into the mirror and tell herself it's gonna be fine but she noticed over the years that looking into the mirror is not helping with her anxiety. She tried looking at herself but the schizophrenia sometimes made her forget her own face and the upcoming panic attack quickly grew into a full-blown episode. She will not risk that right now. Her fingers dig painfully into her upper arms as she hugs herself, her chest rising and falling in strong beats, her eyes focused on her shoes,

'' I can do this. It's okay, I can do it. I can do that, I practiced non-stop for this. I'm not gonna mess up. Rehearsals went good, I didn't miss a beat and I didn't step on his foot. It's fine, I'm fine. He's out there to watch me, I have to pull myself together. If I don't I might be hit by a curtain today… I really don't want that. '' She breathes out slowly and shakes her head. In that moment there's a knock on her door that abruptly makes her jump to her feet. Madam Giry comes in,

'' It's time. '' Kat bites her tongue.

* * *

The way to the stage feels like the shortest way she's ever taken. She wasn't this nervous while rehearsals, she was rather calm. Collected. Why the hell does this have to be so hard? Maybe because right now her class, her teacher, her friends are sitting in the audience. Maybe it's because the Phantom is in this damned box and expects her to be perfect. Maybe, just maybe though, it's for the bazillion people in the audience. She stops before the stage, waits for her cue to step out. There's a hand on her shoulder, she can hear voices around her but she can't make out what they're saying.

* * *

As soon as the last note left her throat and the audience begins to cheer, she drops to her knees in a bow. The dress' skirt is big enough to allow her to make any random bow. The curtain finally closes before her and she's done. The show is over, she made it. As soon as she's behind the stage Madam Giry passes her up and leads her to her room quickly. Her legs are weak, her heart starts to pound in her chest. The moment she stepped on the stage the nauseous feeling dropped somewhat and the panic faded slightly. It's not the singing that killed her, it's everything before and in between. The time where she has to wait for her next appearance. Thanks to the intense training she can do this on auto-pilot but in between she has to work on her own. It's where her mind has the time to shoot every worst-case-scenario through her brain. And man, her mind had a lot of those. One included a curtain. She snaps out of her trance as soon as the loud voices around her fade somewhat and she's safely back in her room. Madam Giry turns from the door to her and smiles, her hands gently placing themselves on her shoulders. At once Kat realizes that it's over.

'' You did very well my dear. I knew you could do it. '' Kat's mouth opens to thank the older woman but she stops herself as she remembers her promise. Her mouth closes with a snapping sound, her lips turn into a wide smile as she nods. Madam gives her an understanding look. Of course she knows. That's why she escorted her to her room so quickly. With a nod Madam leaves the room. Outside she can hear other voices asking for her. Of course, the audience is allowed into the whole Opera after a performance. Hopefully no one will barge in here. With a sigh Kat shuffles to the chair in front of her mirror and drops down on it, her body instantly relaxing and her muscles going loose. Considering that she's an amateur and almost died on a heart-attack on her way to the stage she did pretty good. The crowd before her went crazy as they tossed flowers at her. Right now though she doesn't care for their applause. Right now she just wants praises from one man and this man did not speak up yet. Kat can't help but grow a little nervous again.

'' Kat? '' She jumps in her chair and her eyes widen as the door opens after a faint knock. She glances to her side and feels her heart sinking in her chest. This shouldn't be happening, he shouldn't be here right now. Not now. The Phantom wasn't here yet. Mister Williams closes the door behind him,

'' That was amazing. I can't deny I'm a little surprised about this. Those lessons with Madam Giry and the other singers really did a number on you. '' He hands her a cream colored rose. Appreciation. As she doesn't accept it right away but rather stares down at him with a little lost expression his eyes narrow in worry,

'' Kat? Are you okay? ''

'' Y-yeah… Just… you know. I was on a stage and there were… a lot of people. That's… y'know. '' She finally takes the rose from him and looks down at it but her eyes move back up as she hears the smirk in his voice,

'' If that's already enough to kill you, how will you react when the others show you the videos they took? '' Her eyes abruptly widen and the bad feeling in the back of her mind disappears,

'' WHAT?! ''

'' Hey it was your idea to film everything, you even suggested it. If I remember it right you even bought two power-banks and 3 new SD-cards for this trip. ''

'' 4 powerbanks. And two cameras. ''

'' There you go. ''

'' It wasn't part of the plan to film _me_! Not like that! ''

'' I made a video too, got a lot of strange looks from the people around me. ''

'' Go fuck yourself. '' He smirks,

'' Later. ''

'' Funny. ''

'' What did you expect? One of you guys, _especially_ you, becomes the lead singer? You should be worried if they _wouldn't_ have filmed you. ''

'' Maybe… But one of you fuckers could at least have asked me! ''

'' Probably. But we knew you would have said no so no one asked. ''

'' That's a serious damage to my right for privacy. '' He shrugs as she pushes him slightly,

'' Your _whole_ _life_ is a serious damage to mine, so keep it down. ''

'' Is there a reason for you to be here or do you just want to annoy the hell out of me? '' He suddenly seems to remember why he's in the room,

'' Right. The others convinced me, with you all being adults, that we should go and celebrate. I bet you know about the pub in town? We go there. Your drinks are on me. And on the others, I know how much you can handle. '' Her eyes lit up and a wide grin comes to her lips,

'' Free booze? Jackpot! Ok get out I'm gonna get changed! '' He looks her over in the red and golden

'' Oh don't bother. ''

'' I _will_ throw my shoe at you. Get out. '' He grins at her and makes his way to the door. Before he's left the room completely Kat's eyes widen,

'' Wait! Actually... there's still someone I gotta talk to. Can you give me, like, half an hour? '' He looks back at her confused,

'' Who do you wanna talk to? ''

'' Eh… someone. '' Suddenly he grins at her,

'' I knew it. You're trying to get something going, right? ''

'' ...What? ''

'' I've seen Madam Giry now countless of times while she should actually have been with you. Holly tells me you got lessons with her, I see her busy with the ballet girls. You're seeing someone else. ''

'' My teacher for the singing. Yeah. Madam taught me the behavior, he taught me singing. ''

'' So it's a he, alright. Having a crush on your teacher Kat? '' She smirks at his risen eyebrow,

'' Jealous? '' He shrugs,

'' A little. '' Both laugh loudly before Kat shakes her head,

'' Okay c'mon, get out Mrs. Robinson. ''

'' Half an hour, then I wanna see your ass at the door or we go without you. See you later Benjamin. '' As soon as the door's closed again and she's once more left behind in silence, she sighs.

'' Phantom? Here yet? '' She waits a few moments but gets no answer. That means he didn't see her talking to her teacher and forgetting about him for a second. With a sigh of release she decides to at least get out of the big dress. For the corset she will get some help later. She hides behind the shades and shrugs out of the dress, fumbling a little with the cords on the back. She throws the dress over the shade and looks around to find her cloths, only to realize that the maids that helped her dress must have taken it away. She could put the dress back on and get some of her cloths but then there would be the chance for more people to catch up on her. Her eyes move around briefly. The only item she finds close to her is a white gown. With a small growl she slips into it. It really looks beautiful but right now she'd rather have pants. At least she can sit in those without running the risk to give everyone a flash at her knickers. Even though that skirt has a rather large cut what reveals her whole leg while the thin material offers pretty much enough of a glance at her knickers.

 _Guess I got no other choice…_

Her hands still fumble with the strings as she comes out from behind the shades. When she ties it, there isn't as much skin revealed. She's dressed decent enough like that to get back to her room. Suddenly the candles flicker before going out entirely. A small, cold shudder runs down her back…

* * *

'' What do you mean Kat wants _half an hour_? '' Josh asks loudly and the group groans. Most of the young adults hold onto their cameras or still got flowers or chocolate in their hands. Nathan shrugs his shoulders,

'' She said she still has to talk to her teacher. '' Holly and Jessie exchange a glance before slowly separating from the group to get to Kat's dressing room. It's not like they want to spy on them, not this time, they just want to make sure she's fine and in case she isn't they can still step in. After all Kat mentioned to Holly that he is quite stern even though they are pretty intimate with each other by now. And Holly hasn't met him yet, that makes her still nervous about this whole situation. By now everyone of their class knows who Kat's teacher is. Holly obviously wasn't the only one that was curious so right after the time she saw them, Josh followed her too, Fiona right with him. They told Emily and Andre and since then they spied after them every time they had lessons. Holly found out while the break of the performance. She and Jessie heard how they were talking about it and Holly then had no other choice but to tell Jessie too. He was a little pissed that no one informed him sooner but he didn't make a fuss. He understood that Kat had to keep it a secret and that the others found out by accident. The crowd that waited for Kat in front of the door left by now so the corridor is rather quiet. They stop at the door to knock, but before Jessie's hand can touch the door they hear a booming voice from inside. And it sounds pissed.

'' Fuck. 's that him? '' Holly nods, her eyes wide and trained at the door as her throat becomes tight. They faintly hear Kat apologizing but they can't make out every word she's saying. As his voice becomes louder Jessie tries to open the door but finds it locket. Before he can try to break it down, Holly grabs him and quickly pulls him along with her.

'' Where the hell are you going! We gotta get in there! ''

'' We'll get Mister Williams! We didn't tell him for long enough now. '' They both run to the entrance where their teacher looks up the moment he hears them,

'' Mister Williams! You have to come with us! It's about Kat- '' She breaks off as she stops right in front of him. Mister Williams face abruptly twists in worry as he grabs her shoulders, his voice firm,

'' Holly what happened? What's wrong with Kat? ''

'' The Phantom, he's with her and he sounds really angry! '' His eyes widen,

'' _What_? ''

'' He's the one that taught her and now he's with her in her room and he's screaming at her. We tried to get in but the door's locked. '' Jessie says, his voice deep and loud. Their teacher only faintly looks at them before he runs to Kat's room. The moment he reaches it he tries to open it but as he, too, finds it locket he slams his fists against the door. The others were right behind him and watch with tense. Holly sees Madam Giry and the two managers coming up behind them to find out what the fuss is about. Before they can ask they hear the Phantom's voice from inside again but this time it's not screaming. He's singing to her. A rich, deep voice that almost sounds like it has its own echo,

'' _I am your Master of music… come to me angel of music…_ ''

* * *

Kat eyes the smoking candles a moment before makes a go at the door-

'' _Insolent boy, this slave of fashion!_ _Basking in your glory!_ _Ignorant fool, this brave young suitor! Sharing in my triumph_! '' She sighs and runs her fingers through her hair, so he heard them after all.

 _Shit._

'' Look, I'm sorry. I know I promised not to talk to anyone after the performance before I talked to you and I really got here quick, but you weren't here and he came in! What was I supposed to do?! I couldn't just ignore him! ''

'' You have _forgotten_ me! Do you not care for me Kathrine? '' Beside the small part of hurt she can hear in his voice, there's blame on the top of it. Her eyes narrow as she points at the door,

'' How can you say that when you know exactly that you're the one I was singing for there! ''

'' If that is so, how could you _forget_ _me_? '' He empathizes the last words. Kat steps back at the anger in his voice, it kind of makes her shudder,

'' It was… free booze and… -Look, I'm new to this whole emotional-bonding stuff. I swear I didn't mean to hurt you. I just got really excited… I told him right away that I still need to talk to you, didn't I? ''

'' Kathrine, you must always do what I say! You promised! ''

'' I know! I said I'm sorry! Geez, calm- '' She stops herself from yelling right back at him. He's overly-dramatic, but right. She forgot him for a second.

'' I'm sorry, I'm not used to this. I promise I will listen to you, Master. '' She breathes out as his voice calms again, going back to its smoothness.

'' You are forgiven. Of course you are… You were absolutely breathtaking, my Angel. Flawless in any way imaginable, despite your previous nervousness. Your voice is a gift to my Opera and I feel honored to be your teacher. '' She smiles, her cheeks getting a slight red shade,

'' Stop it you're making me blush… Honestly though, I'm glad I didn't mess it up. I was really nervous _and_ about to get a heart-attack. After all the work you put into this I didn't want to disappoint you. ''

'' We both worked hard, my dear. That was not only me. Most of it was you. ''

'' I say we got it pretty much 50/50. '' She smiles softly before cocking her head to the side,

'' So... I guess we'll be going to town soon, yes? ''

''…Are you certain you would not rather go with your friends? ''

'' Well, tonight, yeah. But what about tomorrow? I'm here for some more time. ''

'' Kathrine… I am not sure this would be such a good idea…'' She pouts,

'' Why not? ''

'' I know I did promise you and I really hate to have to break my promise… but I do not want to bring any harm to you. ''

'' Why would I be in danger just because we go out? ''

'' It is… complicated. To that comes, I could not simply lead you around while you wear a blindfold. ''

'' Well… you could… I dunno… just show yourself? I-I mean, I know you have some issues with that but- ''

'' Why would you want to see the monster that is hidden away? I have my reason for staying in the shadows, Kathrine, I thought we already argued about that. '' His voice becomes a tad harsher but she shakes her head anyway, trying to keep her own voice calm,

'' We really didn't. We stopped arguing before we ended the discussion. Phantom… Master, I really don't know what could be so bad that you're so afraid to just show yourself. I mean… I heard that you wear a mask that's covering, like, half your face. Is that right? ''

''… It is true. '' He admits after what feels like a long time to her. She takes a step away from the door,

'' And that mask is hiding what you don't want people, or me in that case, to see. Right? ''

'' Yes. '' She puts her hands in her hips and offers a sweet smile,

'' Well if the mask is hiding the thing you don't want me to see, you don't have a reason to hide too, right? You could just… come out. And then we go to town together without me running the risk to run _into_ something. ''

For a long moment there's silence and Kat begins to fear she might have gone too far again. Then, suddenly, his smooth voice begins to sing to her,

'' _Flattering child you shall know me, see why in shadow I hide. Look at your face in the mirror, I am there inside!_ '' Her eyes widen. Is he… really doing this? She was expecting him to reject her again and that they would fight. Not that she's disappointed, but a certain nervousness still makes her body tingle. Her stomach cramps slightly. But the way he sings to her… His voice is something that always kind of got to her in all the good ways. He sang while their lessons, not that much though. Every now and then.

Kat turns slowly to the mirror, not willing to move too quickly and make him change his mind. A sudden excitement tickles her skin at the thought of seeing the Phantom of the Opera after all. She will see the man that taught her singing and dancing while never touching her any less soft than someone would hold a fragile kitten. The same moment she can see herself in the mirror, a man appears next to her. His eyes are a misty blue with the slightest touch of gray in them and they're staring at her with such depth that, for a moment, Kat's sure he tries to hypnotize her. Her heart beats faster in her chest the longer she stares at him. Her head titles to the side slightly as she takes a step closer,

''…It's you…''

'' _I am your_ _M_ _aster of Music... Come to me_ _a_ _n_ _gel of_ _M_ _usic…_ '' The mirror slides out of the way and reveals a corridor lit with candles. He holds his hand out to her. His hands are covered in the familiar black gloves but she only faintly glaces at them, not willing to move her eyes away from his for a longer time. She knows his hands by heart, they held her many times in the past few days so that she had many opportunities to study them. But she never before saw his eyes and she notices that it's very easy to get lost in them. They seem to stare right into her soul. Her feet slowly carry her closer to him,

'' _I am your_ _M_ _aster of Music... Come to me_ _a_ _ngel of_ _m_ _usic…_ '' She takes his hand slowly. It's almost like her mind is shutting itself off at the hypnotizing sound of his voice. It feels like a rush. Dangerous, tingling and absolutely addictive. The Phantom of the Opera slowly pulls Kat into corridor and her breathing becomes heavier,

'' Phantom…'' Her voice is the faintest whisper. She wants to say something, do something. But her mind goes blank and she finds herself unable to talk or do anything else than look at him. He said there is a condition that forces him to hide away in the darkness but right now Kat can't say that there's anything unattractive on him.

His lips turn into an almost excited, and yet decent, smile as he looks back at her. Did he look at her like that in the past days too?

'' _Sing just one time with me, a strange duet…_ _M_ _y power over you grows stronger yet._ '' His voice is deep, firm, magnetizing. Is there music around them? No there can't be, there's no speakers in this world, no CD's. But she can hear it. That powerful sound of an organ is clearly there. His voice wraps around her like a blanket. Warm and comforting and absolutely enchanting.

'' _And if you turn from me, to glance behind… The Phantom of the Opera is there… inside your mind…_ '' His eyes are urging her to answer him. She almost stops walking,

''… I can't sing like that… I don't…'' She trails off as he gives her hand a soft squeeze, his lips turning into a reassuring smile. Slowly he lifts her hand to his lips to press a tender kiss to her knuckles, his eyes never leaving her,

'' We will work on this, you will sing with me… We will share the same song. '' The feeling in her stomach doesn't drop. Instead everything around her now seems to vanish as she returns the smile, her cheeks hot as she realizes that she probably looks like a complete idiot,

'' Okay…'' He looks at her another moment before they start walking again. She wants to look around, wonder where he's taking her and question him why he didn't show himself sooner… but she can't bring herself to look away from him. Out of the corners of her eyes she notices how they leave the tunnel over a small pair of stairs before reaching another, bigger staircase, leading them even further down. How deep below ground they actually go she can't tell, but she's not really paying attention to it either. The Phantom's glancing back at her every few seconds and every time that she felt like she could finally peel her eyes off of him to look around, that glance at her only pulls her into his charm again.

Only as her nose smells that familiar scent of water on stone she can bring herself to move her eyes away from him. They must be somewhere deep under the Opera where the river is going below ground. The water's far too clear than to be a sewer system. Her eyes halt on a gondola as they reach the end of the stairs. The Phantom places the torch in a holder on the wall. There's a lantern at the back of the boat and two at the front, they're giving the dark wood a nice shimmer while offering enough light to see what's around them. With a charming smile that makes every part of her body tingle and her heart flutter he helps her into the boat. He uses a pole to gently set the gondola moving. He's only faintly glancing down at her now, too focused on the task at hand. That doesn't stop her from taking him in completely though. He's dressed remarkably noble and even with the mask she would easily mistake him for a nobleman, should he approach her on the street. The clothing looks like it was made of only the finest material. The cloak over his shoulder touches the floor faintly but not enough to be in the way or haul over it nastily. Even though he looks so dark, not everything on him really is. His long cloak is lined with white on the inside. The cravat that is neatly tugged into the floral-brown waistcoat has a dark brown color. There's something on this man that fascinates her in more ways than one. His way of moving looks like he's in full control of himself, the perfect gentleman. But she knows better than to think so easy of him. The sudden outbursts he has had in between, the mood swings and the wall he seems to have built around him reminds her again that she should also keep her guard up around him.

She winces as she hears something heavy moving behind her. As she turns to looks at what's before them, her breathe stops and her eyes widen. Her lips part as she forces herself to keep breathing. A gate is rising out of the water, giving free a secret layer. Kat can see candles over candles illuminating a large cave. There are 2 'rooms'. In one of them she can see something what looks like the head of some animal but the candle holders that stand around are blocking her view. The main room she can see holds a gigantic, old organ standing where the floor has a small elevation. Candle holders surround the organ and most of the stone was covered in red velvet cloths. A little away from the organ, Kathrine's eyes spot a corner with all kinds of paintings, drawings and sculptures. It is the most beautiful living area Kathrine has ever seen. When they pass the gate it abruptly lowers again and silently she wonders what kinds of mechanism he could be using for this. But the ability to think is almost instantly taken from her as the gondola stops before the layer and the Phantom gets out of the boat. He pulls the cloak off his body and moves it fluently over his shoulders to put it aside. Suddenly his eyes are on her and she feels magnetized all over again.

'' _I have brought you… To the seat of sweet music's throne. To this kingdom where all must pay homage to music. Music_ …'' He walks away from her to his organ, his hands gliding almost tenderly over the instrument,  
'' _You have come here, for one purpose and one alone… Since the moment I first heard you sing I have needed you with me, to serve me, to sing... for my music_ …'' He turns back around to face her, his eyes filled with emotion. It's almost like music is his only friend, his lifeblood. Like he can't survive without it. Like it was the only thing that ever stayed at his side.

'' _My music…_ '' A shiver runs down her back. Was there never anyone who told this man how interesting he is? Kathrine's heart begins to beat faster as he slowly approaches her,

'' _Night-time sharpens, heightens each sensation . . . Darkness stirs and wakes imagination . . . Silently the senses  
abandon their __defenses_ _. ._.'' If there was anything left of her mind, it's now gone. Her chest is rising and falling as her breathing becomes more erratic. Everything in her feels so light, like his voice could sweep her off her feet and take her into a complete different world. His eyes are starring into hers, never breaking their contact. All that time when he wouldn't show himself to her, when he spoke to her through whatever secret passing he used… was he always looking at her like that?

He stops in front of the boat and holds his hand out to her. She almost instantly stands up and blindly places her hand in his, allowing him to help her out of the gondola,

'' _Slowly, gently night unfurls its_ _splendor_ _._ _Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender…_ '' Slowly his feet move backwards, his hand holding hers so softly that she fears he might loose her if she doesn't follow right away. Her face turns for a moment to look around one more time but his hand soon comes to her face and gently urges her to look back at him. As if he wants that she stays in her haze.

'' _Turn your face away from the garish light of day._ _Tu_ _rn your thoughts away from cold, unfeeling light… and listen to the music of the night. ._.'' He raises her hand to his face shortly, his eyes narrowing in an intense look that makes her lips turn into a dreamy smile. Her eyes are lid as he slowly lets go of her hand to quickly take a few steps back,  
'' _Close your eyes and surrender to your darkest dreams!_ '' He opens his arms as if he'd wanted to show her something new, something brilliant. Her mouth opens as she feels that she looses the ability to breathe properly.

'' _Purge your thoughts of the life you knew before! Close your eyes… let your spirit start to soar!_ '' Kat can't remember when her eyes closed but as his voice changes into a higher note that seems to wrap itself around her, they open again.

''.. _.And you'll live as you've never lived before…_ '' The Phantom closes the gap between them and holds his hand out to her again. There's a faint smile on his lips, his eyes just as hooded as hers. She takes his hand without a second of doubt. It feels like her body is craving to be close to him,

'' _Softly, deftly, music shall_ _caress_ _you…_ _Hear_ _it,_ _feel_ _it,_ _secretly possess_ _you…_ '' His face is so close to hers that she can feel his hot breathe on her lips. Kat's eyes are barely wide enough open to see his face properly but she still notes the passionate shadow on it,

'' _Open up your mind, let your fantasies unwind,_ _i_ _n this darkness which you know you cannot fight-_ '' He halts a moment to smile at her. A proud, confident smile that is enough to make her fear for her ability to stand. God, he's seducing her just with his eyes and voice. She can't remember ever feeling something like this before in her life.  
'' _T_ _he darkness of the music of the night…_ '' She wants to go after him and close the gasp as he moves away from her but her legs are so weak that she fears they might give out if she tries to walk. He moves behind the candles, the dimmed light illuminating his handsome features,  
'' _Let your mind start a journey through a strange new world! Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before! Let your soul_ _t_ _ake you where you long to be!_ '' The shadows seem to dance over his white mask as his mouth opens to release the deep, perfect note. As he rounded the small table he comes back to her, his hands raising to her face but they only faintly brush her jaw before closing around her throat and sliding down to her shoulders. There's a sudden serious expression on his face,  
'' _Only then can you belong to me…_ '' God, as his hands gently place themselves on her hips to pull her close to him she can feel her legs giving out for the faintest moment. Her eyes close on their own as his voice raises softly next to her ear.  
'' _Floating, falling, sweet intoxication…_ '' She can feel the heat radiating from his body, soaking through the thin material of her dress. She leans her head back in pleasure, every spot his hand touches turning hot and tingly. Kathrine feels how his hand grabs hers to guide it to his face,  
'' _Touch me, trust me…_ _savor_ _each sensation…_ '' As soon as she feels his warm cheek against her palm she turns in his arms, her forehead faintly brushing his mask, their mouths so close that they're almost touching, her hand still against his cheek. He takes her hand in both of his, his lips ghosting over them so that she can feel his breathe on her skin. She shudders in pleasure  
'' _Let the dream begin_ _,_ _let your darker side give in, to the power of the music that I write -_ '' He looks at her with such pride that she can't help herself but offer a drowsy smile which only seems to strengthen his confidence,

'' _T_ _he power of the music of the night . . ._ '' Was there ever a time where she felt this aroused by someone who barely even touch her? Did she ever feel like this _while_ someone touched her? No. Nothing she ever experienced before can just slightly compare to what is going on inside of her right now. There's so much unresolved sexual tension but there's more than plain desire of a body. Her heart feels like it's clawing at her, forcing her to stay close to him. One of his hands lets go of hers to cup her cheek gently,

'' _You alone can make my song take flight… Help me make the music of the night…_ '' His voice slowly fades, his breathe on her lips, his eyes staring into hers so deeply she doesn't dare to blink.

… _Where do I sign…_

* * *

Mister Williams could scream at himself for being so ignorant. The Phantom did send a letter to inform everyone that he wishes for Kat to have very intense and uninterrupted lessons. He should have kept an eye on her from that moment on. He taught her, he sings to her, yes. But that's no proof that he won't hurt her. Nathan heard a lot about that man that hides in the shadows and makes others believe he is a phantom. He is a killer and a psychopath. And he has Kat with him in that room. His student might not be stupid and she might even be capable to defend herself should he try to attack... but she's attracted to everything mysterious and this man is nothing else but mysterious. He slams his fist hard against the door, ignoring the aching of his bones,

'' Kat! Open the door! _Kathrine!_ Open- '' He breaks off as the loud, powerful music of an organ suddenly starts to play all around them. Like there are loudspeakers all over the place. But that's not possible. He glances over his shoulder as he hears the two managers gasping,

'' It is his music. '' Madam Giry says under her breathe while looking up. Nathan's eyes narrow as he turns from the door to her slightly,

'' _His_? ''

'' The Phantom. It plays all through the Opera but no one knows how he does it. ''

'' It's a ghost. A curse. '' His hands curl to fists at the frightened expressions of the two managers,

'' He's got Kat in there! ''

'' They will be gone by now. '' Madam Giry suddenly says. His back tenses, worry spreading through his body,

'' The door is closed, they can't get out. ''

'' The Phantom always finds a way. '' His expression drops for a second, his body going loose before regaining the almost painful tense,

'' We have to search the room then! Find a way to get her back from wherever he brought her! '' He eyes the group around him but instead of having anyone looking at him with at least a hint of determination, they just avoid his eye.

'' What? ''

'' We do not wish to interfere in his business. I am deeply sorry Monsieur Williams… but we made that mistake once, we will not repeat it. '' Missouri André remarks dryly but with real sorrow in his voice. The manager did not wish for the young woman to be abducted and if he could he would help. But if the Phantom has her, there is nothing they can do. His body becomes heavy with regret as he watches the teacher in front of him growing a mix of angry and desperate,

'' He could kill her! ''

'' We do understand your worry but we will only anger him if we try to seek him out. It could lead to Miss Jones getting hurt. ''

'' We have to do _something_! ''

'' He expressed his admiration for Miss Jones, I am sure he will cause her no harm. The Phantom would never hurt anyone that is capable of such beautiful music. '' Nathan's eyes move to Madam Giry. The older woman does not even seem to worry about Kat. There's nothing in her eyes that hints on any fear, either. He turns back to the door and prepares to break it down but before he can kick it in, the door opens a gap. His glare drops. Confuse fills his body but he wastes no time to push the door open and enter the room with fast steps. The candles are all blown out which leaves the room in a cold darkness. He looks around almost in panic but Madam Giry was right, he's gone and he took Kat with him. He knocks on every wall, pulls on everything he can find but nothing leads to the conclusion that there would be any other way out of this room. He looks at the window, could he have brought her out through this? Maybe she was unconscious, maybe he was dragging her.

 _Maybe she's dead already…_

He could hurt her, rape her, do god knows what to her and it's his fault. He should have kicked that door in while she was still in here. He should have kept an eye on her the moment it became clear that psychopath noticed her. The others might believe that he's a ghost but Nathan knows better. He is only a sick murderer who has fun at leading others along. Suddenly a wave of nausea hits him and he has to sit down on the chair Kat sat in not long ago. How could he let this happen?

'' Mister Williams… are you okay? '' He hears Jesse asking. Kat, Holly and him are always together in school. Or have been. School is over, after this trip they are free to take whatever path they want. Holly and Jesse have each an idea, Kat doesn't have that. She was talking to him a lot of times about that. They spent hours going through possible options. Kat is rebellious and flirting, she likes to overstep her boundaries and isn't afraid to pick a fight with people that are far bigger than her or have authority. She is, however, far from stupid. She wasn't the best in class and a lot of times her laziness got her grades to a level far below her ability, but grades don't define your intellect. And she is quite clever. If you pick a theme she's interested in she can be brilliant. Her drug use is another story though. It's not constant, she's not an addict, but she is using. She's smoking sometimes, taking a couple of uppers on parties and festivals and smokes pot to allow her to sleep if she gets an insomnia or to help with her anxiety. He wasn't very pleased with that at the beginning and checked several times if she's really not an addict. But after she handed him everything she owns and her money to point out that she can't buy herself something new, he started to trust her. After all she told him about this herself. He kept it a secret from her mother, too. Her father is living far away, they don't have a lot of contact but she does visit him a few times the year. He sends cards here and now, they talk over the phone. Kat and Nathan became something like friends over the years. She was in his class for over 7 he came to their school he became their teacher for history. He noticed her from the beginning. Not because she was so beautiful or so smart. It wasn't this typical teacher-falls-in-love-with-student crap. He noticed her for her way of reacting to her surroundings. Interested, sharp and with a huge lack of morals. Her opinions were quite disturbing as they talked about war and politics. They're definitively interesting, but that doesn't change the fact that he worried a little about the way she phrased her opinion. Smart but emotionless. Other teachers said the same about her. That she's open-minded, kind and witty if you're nice to her and a complete psychotic bitch if you try to pick a fight with her.

As he saw bruises on her the first time he eyed them suspiciously but didn't say anything. Until he realized that her pupils were blown and she was kind of jumpy. He asked her what was wrong, if someone hurt her. She laughed it off. At first she wouldn't tell him anything but after the bruises got worse and she was obviously taking something he threatened her to call her mother and ask her if she won't talk to him. That did the trick. He will never forget the day this 16 year old told him she's fighting for money against people that are willing to kill her. He remembers how he yelled at her, scolded her and was ready to call her mother. Maybe the police and authorities. Then she told him about her mental problems and that they have some serious depts open. That, after the divorce from her father, her mom fell into a depression, lost her job and started drinking. Kat is loyal, more than is healthy for her. She was willing to put her life into danger to get her mom help. Which she did. She lost the first two fights but started to win then and that brought enough money for a psychiatrist. Her mom found a new job and Kat stopped the fighting for some time. Until her condition became worse and the Anxiety brought up Schizophrenia. Suddenly the bruises were back, not as bad as before but they were there. Her drug use increased slightly, too. She always kept up the charming grin and the witty retorts. He kept an eye on her. He didn't like the fact that she fights but the bruises became less and less until she was barely hurt anymore. And it helped her. Nathan knows he is seriously acting against his obligations but she did accept his help and he didn't want to ruin that. He's taking care of her for years now and the thought that this man could hurt her in any way makes him sick. He has no children, no wife. Kat is almost like a daughter to him. He has to find her, make sure she's alright. He has to do something because if he doesn't and something happens to her he will never forgive himself…

* * *

They stare into each others eyes for a long time, none of them willing to look away. Kat's eyes are hooded, her tongue slowly licking over her dry lips. His eyes follow the movement with interest and it takes a while before he can tear his glance from her lips to look back into her eyes. Kat plays with the thought to try to close the gap between them. But in the back of her mind she knows that this probably leads to another disaster. He just revealed himself to her, she doesn't want to destroy this moment with her eagerness. But she doesn't want it to get awkward either so she asks the first question that her mind can form,

''…Was that a love declaration…? '' She asks in a whisper, her voice still holding that drowsy edge, every part of her body tingling and aching. His expression doesn't change as he looks down at her and that's all of an answer she needs. Interesting. Normally she would take her distance now but even though her heart is raging in a mix of that pleasant feeling she can't explain and fear, she can't bring herself to move away. Instead her lips turn into a sweet, tender smile and her free hand places over his heart. As much as she doesn't want to, she moves away slightly to look around again. Now that this magnetizing fog lifts off her mind she really begins to think about how much work he must have put into getting everything down here. He must have broken his back while getting that thing down here.

'' It's beautiful here…''

'' I'm glad you appreciate it. '' She can hear the smile in his voice.

'' Why didn't you want to show yourself sooner? As you said condition... I thought about something bigger than just the small part under that mask. '' Like she expected it his relaxed features tense again as he turns his back to her to walk to the organ,

'' I do not wish to discuss this. Please, sit down, sing with me. ''

'' Now? I mean… -Oh god… I'm not even supposed to be here. I was supposed to get free booze and celebrate with my friends. Damn, they're gonna be worried. '' With the fog completely gone she also realizes what just happened. She followed the Phantom of the Opera down into his layer while people are waiting for her upstairs,

'' Do you wish to go back? '' His voice lost the charming smoothness as he keeps his back to her, his fingers moving over the keys of the organ. Her eyes narrow in sympathy. He brought her down here, put all his trust in her and she talks about her bad conscience. Still, there's also a little caution coming up in her. The way he's reacting… that guy's more dangerous than she thought. Kat slowly breathes out as she sits down next to him, her hands resting on his back and shoulder softly,

'' No. I don't want to go back. I just feel bad for dumping them like that. I don't want them to worry for me. ''

'' I will inform them that you are safe. ''

'' Thank you. '' She lays her head onto his shoulder, feels his muscles twitching and his back relaxing under her cheek.

'' Will you sing with me? '' He asks again, this time in a mere murmur. The tense easily left his voice what only makes her caution grow. She looks up at him,

'' Are you trying to get me so into your music that I sing that duo with you? '' He smiles down at her sheepishly and she can't help but laugh,

'' Alright handsome, let's try this. '' Suddenly he looks down at her shocked, his back tensing at once as he freezes completely in his movements. Kat sits up straight,

'' What? What is it…? Did I say something wrong? '' He doesn't answer her so she thinks about what she said again…

'' Wait a second… Is it because I called you handsome? Did you ever look into a mirror in the past 10 years? '' His lips press into a thin line as he almost glares down at her, pain in his eyes,

'' I did. I guarantee you, it is everything but handsome. ''

'' Whatever is under that mask must be really fucking horrible. Cause if it isn't you're a drama queen who needs a new pair of eyes and a really good psychiatrist. You could easily pass as James Bond. '' His eyes narrow in confuse, the slightest shade of red creeping up his neck,

'' Who? ''

'' That's a movie character in my world who basically goes as the role model of sex-appeal. ''

'' You are… truly extraordinary. '' She winks at him,

'' I do what I can. What do you want to sing now? '' He seems almost grateful for her change of subject and turns back to his organ. She watches how he takes a rather new-looking paper and hands it to her. He starts playing the music while she follows the lyrics silently. The melody is soft, warm, filled with hope. The song is about a monster that was so ugly and frightening that no one else ever tried to look past his appearance. Until an angel found him while he was at his most vulnerable and cast away the darkness in his heart, loved him. Kat can imagine where the idea for this came from.

'' That's beautiful. You wrote this? ''

'' Yes. ''

'' You're really good at this. Do you have more? '' He looks at her surprised, as if he can't believe that she is actually this interested in his work. But she is. In a way, she is interested in everything that involves him.

'' Do you wish to see them? '' Kat nods with a wide smile,

'' I'd love to. ''

'' Please, wait here I will just get them. '' The look of happiness in his eyes as he hurries away is enough to also make her feel happy. Damn, this is confusing. Her heart won't stop roaring in her chest. As soon as he's out of sight she pulls her phone out of her decollete and places it on the stone behind the organ so that the camera can capture everything in the cave except the separated room where she saw a bed. She will switch her phone with the camera as soon as she gets a hold of her bag. Maybe he'll go get it for her if she asks nicely. It's not that she wants to show this around or put it on YouTube. But she wants a reminder of this. She wants a reminder of every second with him. She presses the record button-

'' What is this? '' Kat winces as his voice is suddenly next to her ear, his body leaning over hers. She glances to the side faintly to have his face close to hers. The first time they she touched him he almost jumped out of the window in shock. Not he's so comfortable with being close to her. Like they've known each other for years. She looks at him silently for a moment, watches how his eyes move curiously over her phone. The faintest smile comes to her lips and she can't help but feel a little proud.

'' …It's just a small tool from my world. I'll explain that later to you. If that's okay I'd like to leave it here? '' He looks it over again and nods then with a warm smile at her,

'' Of course. ''

'' Thanks. Are all of these yours? '' She questions as she leans back and notices the large staple of papers in his hand. He glances down at it almost shyly and nods before offering the pile to her. She accepts it smiling and both sit down again.

'' Play them. ''

'' Which one? ''

'' We've got some time right? I wanna hear every single one of them. ''

'' You do? '' He beams at her, sending another pleasant flutter through her heart.

'' Yeah. ''

'' I will gladly present you each, mon ange. '' He looks so happy that Kat thinks he might burst from it any moment. And she can't stop herself from grinning right back at him.


	6. Chapter 6, Part 1 - To Find The Man

**A/N:** I split the days in the Layer into each 2 parts because it would just be too long otherwise.

 **To Precedy:** Thank you so much for your Review! I actually have the whole Story done so I just have to upload everything ;) Merry Christmas to you too! I'd love to hear how you like the following chapters!

* * *

 **Chapter 6, Part 1:** To Find The Man Behind The Monster

* * *

 **\- Day 1 in the Layer -**

Kat wakes up in a bed with the softest sheets she ever touched. With a comfortable yawn she stretches and sits then up slowly, her hands rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She can't remember when she fell asleep but she knows for sure that she did not go to bed on her own. They sat on that small bench for hours, her arms softly wrapped around his left arm and her head on his shoulder. He did compose a lot of beautiful music. Some of it she didn't like that much but most of it was wonderful. At some point she realized that she was falling asleep slowly but she didn't want him to stop playing. She wanted to keep listening to his music. Whenever he had lyrics to his music he sang to her softly, only further helping her to drift into a comfortable slumber. The thing she soon noticed about his music is that it mostly sounds sad, depressing even. He must have been very lonely that whole time that he spend alone down here. The layer's beautiful, of course, but spending decades here on your own must be horrible. He fled himself into music in the hope it would take some of the loneliness but all that happened is that the songs he composed also became depressed. Kat feels her brain itching in curiosity at what is under that mask. He makes it sound so horrible, like hell would break loose if it should come off. But he _is_ very insecure. For all she knows someone could have abused him in his past and he is so traumatized from it that he sees whatever is under the mask as worse than it really is. Eyes can easily trick you, she knows that more than most people. Kat's eyes open again as she hears the soft music reaching her ears. Opposite to the songs they listened to before, this one is still calm but has a slightly happier note on it. Slowly she gets out of the bed and walks to the 'door' of the separate room. As soon as she can look around the corner she sees the Phantom playing on his organ. That sight is kind of… interesting. He stops in between to write something down of what she thinks must be the notes. Is he composing something new again?

 _At least this time it's not filled with depression and pain. It sounds… actually kind of happy._

With a soft expression Kat calmly walks up to him. He changed while she slept. His pants are brown now instead of black and the long coat he wears is black with green patterns. On his collar and hands she sees a white long-sleeved shirt peeking out from under the coat but this one looks a little looser than the one he wore before. Even as she stops right behind him he doesn't seem to notice her, too wrapped up in his music. It makes her smile. Tenderly, to make sure not to scare him, she places her hands on his shoulders and steps in closer, her hip touching his back faintly. He winces at the touch, his fingers halting for the briefest moment before he smoothly continues in his playing. The slight happy note the music had before seems to deepen even more. Kat likes to imagine that this is because of her interest in his music. As Kat looks at his hands she sees that the shirt really is quite loose on his form and exposes almost his whole chest.

 _If I get a coin every time the word 'attractive' goes through my mind I'm rich before the day ends._

Her eyes soon move from his skin to the mask on his face as he leans back against her, his fingers once more halting in their playing. Kat bites her lip, her teeth moving to tug at the piercing that is not in her lip. She could try to take of his mask and run the risk of him getting really angry at her. But if her speculation is right and he really does see this as worse than it is, she might be able to help him realize he is not that much of a monster as he likes himself to believe. Of course he will still be mad. You cannot expect someone with a trauma to just snap out of it. But then she at least knows what she's dealing with. Slowly, gently, her hands move from his shoulders up to his face. She's almost surprised at how much he enjoys the touch. His eyes abruptly close and his body leans back against her even more. While allowing her right hand to tenderly stroke his exposed cheek, her other hand moves to the mask. Either he doesn't notice her movement or he doesn't mind because he makes no move to stop her. Kat sees that as her green light and carefully removes the object from his face. She can only catch a quick glance at the deformed half of his face before he suddenly pulls back and pushes her hard away from him. She gasps in both shock and pain as she impacts hard with the ground,

'' _Damn you! You little prying Pandora! You little demon!_ _I_ _s this what you wanted to see?!_ '' His voice is a furious, rough scream as he makes wild movements with his arms. His face is twisted in anger. She expected the screaming, she didn't expect the hard push that sends her not only directly to the ground but also right into an upstanding rock. A certain nervousness that comes close to fear prickles on her skin as she watches how he turns his back to her. He rips the curtain off the mirror that is closest to him to look at his deformed face. Kat barely sees the disgust in his eyes before his hand covers what his mask was supposed to hide. She flinches as he comes close to her again, his voice so loud and filled with pain and hatred that it sends a shiver down her spine,  
'' _Curse you! You little lying Delilah! You little viper!_ _N_ _ow you cannot ever be free!_ '' He turns his back to her again and his hand falls from his face. Kat can feel tears jumping to her eyes, a deep regret filling every fiber of her body. She didn't mean to hurt him like this. Yes, she expected the anger but she didn't expect this. She shouldn't have done this. He was so comfortable with her touching him and he looked so relaxed. Has she ruined that now?

'' _Damn you_ …'' She flinches again as he pushes over a candle holder which hits the ground with a loud clatter.  
'' _Curse you_ …'' His voice is so broken, so full with betrayal and anger. The tears in her eyes grow thicker as he stares at the water before his feet for a moment. Slowly Kat pushes herself back to her feet. If he tries to pounce at her she would rather not be sitting. He rolls his head back into his neck, a pained smile comes to his lips,  
'' _Stranger than you dream_ _ed_ _it._ _C_ _an you even dare to look?_ _O_ _r bear to think of me:_ '' The tears threaten to spill over as she sees the look in his eyes. Holly was right, she's pushing and pushing people until she hits a sensitive spot and without really meaning to she digs into it and hurts them. Yes, sometimes she does this on purpose. But she didn't want this with him. She wanted to take a look at his face and tell him it's okay. That it's not so bad.

'' _T_ _his loathsome gargoyle, who burns in hell, but secretly yearns for heaven, secretly… secretly… -_ _But Kathrine…_ '' What happened to him that he thinks like that of himself? What torture did he go through in his past? The Phantom stops and turns to her, his hand back over his face but his other hand risen before his body, almost reaching out for her, trying to calm her,  
'' _Fear can_ _t_ _urn to love_ …! _Y_ _ou'll learn to see, to find the man behind this monster!_ '' It's almost like he's begging her to listen to him. To try to understand that there's more to him than just his face. He must be thinking she is afraid or disgusted by it. She admits, it's really badly deformed the way she saw it but it's not that horrible. It's certainly not frightening enough that he should be thinking of himself like that. And yet… his temper did scare her right now. A little. She's capable to defend herself, yes. That doesn't change the fact that certain people can scare her. He's one of them. At least… like that. The Phantom sits down on the ground not far from her, his eyes closed,

'' _This…_ _repulsive carcass, who seems a beast, but secretly dreams of beauty…_ _Secretly…_ _Secretly…_ _Oh Kathrine…_ '' He trails off, his back bent, his hand covering the deformed half of his face. He looks broken. It's almost physically hurting her to see him like this. How can a man so brilliant be so insecure about himself? Why wasn't anyone there to hug him and tell him how amazing he is? Where were his goddamn parents all his life! Kathrine wants to allow the anger in her to burst free, to grow and cover the sadness but as her eyes won't move from the Phantom sitting across her she can't help herself but feel new tears welling up in her eyes. For a while she only stares at him before bending over to fetch his mask off the ground. She holds it in her hand, silently and observes it. This piece of what feels similar to porcelain is so important to him and yet she wishes he would just leave it off entirely. Kat wants to haul it into the water and tell him that he doesn't need that. And yet her feet slowly drag her forwards until she falls to her knees before the Phantom to offer the mask to him. He looks at it only a short moment before accepting it and putting it back onto his face. This time she stays on the ground while he rises to his feet. He takes a step away from her, his voice rough,  
'' Come, you must return. This fool that is always close to you, must be missing you. '' Her eyes widen as she realizes what he just said. She quickly jumps to her feet, her hands balled to fists in front of her chest. She feels a sudden panic coming up in her,

'' You send me away just because I made a mistake? That's not fair! ''

''…You saw what is hidden under my mask, you know of the monster I am. I understand that you would not want to stay. '' He keeps his back to her so she closes the distance between them again,

'' But I do. '' Before she can reach out for him he once more steps away from her but this time he turns his face to her slightly,

'' Your kindness is more than I could ever be asking for… but I will not force you to stay here. I am sorry you had to see this. I hope you will be able to forget this sight at some point…'' There's so much pain on his face, so much desperation. She titles her head to the side, her eyes narrowed in sympathy.

'' You really got some issues, don't you. ''

'' I'm sorry? '' She shakes her head at his confused expression

'' Just… how do you think this happened? Like… what's your explanation? '' His eyes get that agonized expression again. Like it is physically hurting him to just think about it.

'' It… it is a curse. Cast by the devil himself. Forcing me to hide away in the darkness, too ugly to ever live upon others. ''

'' Oh you're religious, great… -It's… not the devil. Or some high spirit. Sorry to break it to you… but that's a birth defect. Something like this happens all the time all over the world. It's not a curse, it's a medical condition. '' Her hands tremble as she carefully reaches out for his face again. This time his hands abruptly catch her wrists. Her expression becomes softer, how can she explain this to him if he is so sure that this is not 'normal'? How can she make him trust her words?

'' Kathrine… I beg you- '' She shakes her head,

'' Just…'' She trails off, her eyes looking into his. She can see the wish to fight her, to push her away again. But she has to try. At least once.

 _'' Please_ … I swear I won't hurt you… Just… let me explain this…'' Slowly, almost afraid of what she could do, his hand loosens its grip on her wrists so that she can move her hands to his mask again. With the same tenderness he always touched her with, she lifts his mask off his face again. His eyes abruptly close in shame and misery as his hands falls from her wrists. She turns away from him to place the mask on the organ. As her fingers brush over the deformed cheek, he flinches back as if she hit him,

''…It's okay… It's okay, look at me…'' His eyes don't open so she cups both of his cheeks, caressing each cheekbone. The skin of his deformed cheek is a lot softer but she doesn't think that she's hurting him. As her eyes move to the rim of his hair she also notices that he's wearing a wig because she sees the deformation disappearing under it. His cheekbone is almost visible under the thin layer of skin, the left wrinkle of of his mouth and the edges of his lips are slightly swollen and cracked. She didn't even notice this yesterday. His lower eyelid is slightly pulled down where his skin didn't fully evolve. The left side of his nose looks like someone drew a knife over his skin and cut off parts of it. The deformed side is redder than the 'healthy' one. His eyes are still closed and his hands loosely at each of his sides. She can feel and see his body shaking. Carefully she moves her hands up from his cheeks to the wig to pull it off too. He flinches back but she abruptly steps close to him again. His eyes are wide. Kathrine can see tears in his eyes as he stares at her like she just plunged a knife between his ribs. The defect spreads over almost half of his head. All around his ear are smaller and bigger pustules what makes the distorted ear look slightly too small, like it didn't completely grow out of the head. There is hair where his deformation ends, though. His real hair is a messy dark blonde, almost a light brown. The Phantom stares at her as if he's afraid. Afraid that she could humiliate him, scream at him, hurt him. Afraid that she might be frightened by his face, disgusted. She uses the attention he finally gives her to smile at him, her voice softer than she can ever remember it,

''…Listen to me… This is a _medical_ birth defect… _Not_ a curse or the devil... There are thousands, _millions_ of people who have something similar to this all over the world. Some even have it _worse_. Really it's- '' As she feels new tears in her eyes at the doubt in his eyes and the pain she closes her eyes, her voice breaking off. Her throat feels tight. Mentally she roams her head to find every bit of information she has about this but her hands never stop touching him. Instead she moves her hands back to his cheeks as her eyes open again. He seems frightened of her sadness. He's convinced that the tears are a result of fear. His mouth is open to allow himself to breathe ragged.

'' This can easily be caused… by smoking or drinking or taking drugs while pregnancy. You mother could have been obese or she could have had a medical condition like diabetes. There could have been someone else in your family with a birth defect, too. Sometimes this is… heritable. A-another simple explanation could be… that your mother fell or was hurt in her pregnancy… That's… because the cells have to form into organs and skin first and if they're damaged while that process th-they mostly can't repair themselves…'' She stops as she realizes her explanation becomes rather clumsy and inaccurate. She's not a scientist, she can just say what she heard of and read about. The exact reason how this defect forms she can't explain, not correctly, but she did explain the most important thing. That it's not his fault and that it's not a curse. The Phantom just stares at her. The tears stopped but now he looks cold. Like he doesn't believe her. Who knows what's going on in his head right now. He could think she's just lying to him. That she just says this to make him feel good so that she can hurt him later. About everything could be going on in his head. Kat knows how cruel this panic can be. It can destroy you within seconds, it can make you believe that the people that openly care about you are just lying to you. It's brutal and it hurts and it seems completely hopeless.

'' Kathrine. My mask. '' She winces at his voice. It's firm, commanding, rough. It holds nothing of the previous gentleness or kindness. He's just cold.

'' Right…'' She quickly turns to fetch the mask off the organ. Before she hands it to him, though, she looks down at it another moment, her voice careful, trembling,

'' Y-you know you… don't have to wear it… though…'' Her voice changes into a whisper towards the end.

'' I will not force you to look upon something I cannot even look at myself. Your attempt to lighten my mood is more than I could ever have been asking for and I thank you on my knees for that… but it is useless. I know what I am. I will not force you to see it, no matter what reason it should have. '' Her eyes close again as she furiously shakes her head, her hands clinging more desperately to the mask,

'' I don't mean it like that! I… I really don't mind your defect…'' Carefully her eyes glance up at him, her body trembling. His body grew still, his eyes wide,

'' …What? ''

'' I mean… i-it must be k-kind of uncomfortable… to wear it s-so… I bet you'll feel better if you just leave it off… maybe? ''

'' Kathrine… are you… do… How can you willingly force yourself to look at this monstrosity? ''

'' _Defect_! Not monstrosity… Defect. That's a difference. And… well… I really don't mind. So if you want to leave it off… I-if that's more comfortable for you… I really would appreciate that. ''

'' But… why? Why would you…'' He trails off, his breathing becoming heavy again. Kathrine spots the first symptoms of a growing panic-attack on him. The quickening of his breathe, the tremor in his body, the twitching of his facial expression. She bites her lip,

'' I'm… sure my answer's not the one you're hoping for but… I really don't care… You know, I uh… still think you're incredibly hot…'' He shakes his head and leans down to her, testing if she moves away should he bring his deformed face close to hers. She doesn't even flinch. Instead she feels another pleasant shudder coming over her back.

'' You have lost your mind. ''

'' You're only getting that now? '' She smirks at him, her cheeks red with a mix of release and the slowly fading aching in her heart. She can imagine that her eyes must be just as red from the suppressed tears as his are. An awkward silence builds up between them. She looks down for a moment before looking at him with one eyebrow risen,

'' Oh and something else. ''

'' Yes? ''

'' If you attack me again, I will taser you. '' She pats his cheek with a sudden sarcastic smirk and moves away from him with her hips swinging. Now that she's not on stage she can finally walk again like she wants to and that is curvy. She trained a lot for that body, nothing wrong with showing it off.

'' Taser? '' She stops to smirk over her shoulder,

'' That's a small tool that will shock your ass into oblivion. ''

'' Is that legal? ''

'' Depends how good my reason to use it is and how hetero the officer is that's going to question me. '' The Phantom looks at her with one eyebrow risen in confuse,

'' What is that supposed to mean? '' She shrugs,

'' The world's corrupted, most men are easy to play, women can buy themselves free with tits because the world is sexist in both directions. Pick one. Or all. I'm going back to bed. ''

'' But… you just stood up. '' She laughs and waves her her hand in a dismissive manner, her feet carrying her back to the smaller room with the bed,

'' Yeah but my back hurts and that bed is so fudging fluffy! I love it and claim it as mine. '' Kat hears the patting footsteps of the Phantom following her and for a moment she think he wants to get his mask back that's still clasped in her hands. Instead he stops a few steps behind her,

'' I.. wanted to show you something, if you'd like? ''

'' Okay. But before that… could you do me a favor? '' His face slowly softens again as he smiles at her,

'' Of course, anything. ''

'' As I said, my back hurts. Up in my room under my bed is a small black bag around this size… Can you bring it to me? '' He nods,

'' Of course. I will not need long. ''

'' Thanks. '' He holds his hand out and looks at her. For a moment she's confused before realizing that he wants his mask.

'' Right, sorry. '' He silently takes it from her and puts it on. His feet move to the organ where she left the wig to attach it on his head. Kat looks after him as he quickly gathers his boots and cloak before getting into the gondola. The gate rises as soon as he sticks the pole into the water to push himself off the shore. It closes as soon as he slipped away from under it. Kat's eyes narrow in interest, her feet quickly moving to the point where he plunged the pole into the water. She looks at the clear surface for a moment before dipping her hands into the cold water. She pushes onto the ground several times until finally finding some kind of switch. She grins to herself but makes sure not to activate it. The gate makes quite a noise. If she presses the switch and the gate rises he could hear her and think she might try to run away. She doesn't, of course, but he can't know that. Kat leans back, sighing. Deciding that there's not much to do right now she gets back to her feet and approaches the many paintings and sculptures. On the table is a copy of the Opera stage out of paper masks with small wooden dolls that seem to be self-made. Kat can see a doll for each manager, Madam Giry, Carlotta, Piangi and one that almost looks like her. There are unfinished and broken dolls in a separate box next to the model.

Careful not to break it, she picks the doll up and takes a closer look at it. That's definitively her in the dress she had to wear for the performance. She sighs but puts the doll back to it's original place without thinking much about it. The sculptures all look very detailed. It shows men with handsome features but deformed parts f their body. One sculpture has half of its face extremely deformed, like the Phantom's just worse. Kat finds herself wondering if he sees his own deformation like this, if not even worse. The other ones have only one small part deformed. Ears, nose, eyes, mouths, cheeks. The drawings on the desk are as detailed as the rest of his stuff. There are sketches and portraits of flowers, music notes, of parts in the Opera, dresses, faces that she can't remember ever seeing. Kat's eyes narrow as she spots something else in his drawings. A series of sketches of her in all kinds of situations are neatly at the side of the desk. Those aren't like the others that show faces. Those are far too detailed, too precise to what she did before coming here. A sick feeling places in her gut.

She doesn't turn as she hears the gate behind her opening again. He was quick.

'' Kathrine I brought your bag- '' He breaks off abruptly. Slowly she turns around to face him, her eyes narrowed, her voice cold, the sketches slightly risen to his sight,

'' You were stalking me. ''

''…No I was- ''

'' _No_? Well to me it really looks like stalking. You watched me as I was sleeping, when I was in town, while rehearsals. To make such detailed sketches you had to be watching me longer. You didn't just accidentally pass by and memorized everything. You were watching me for _hours_ while I was shopping with my friends, you watched me in that cafe, you watched me while I was _sleeping_. Now, I really like you but if there's one thing I find absolutely _disgusting_ it's being stalked! ''

'' It was not my intention to anger you, I did not think it would displease you like that. '' She snorts in anger,

'' You didn't think it would _displease_ me? What the hell did you think what I would say to this! '' Her voice changes into a fake-shocked amazement,

'' What?! You drew all those amazing, beautiful pictures while you were watching me without me knowing? Oh thank you so much, I always wanted to know what that felt like! ''

''…I did follow you, yes. But it was not my intention to stalk you or make you uncomfortable I just… wanted to be close to you. I never thought this current situation would happen, I never thought I would ever get the chance to be this close to you. So this was the only way that I saw… I am sorry, I realize I should not have done this. Please forgive me. ''

'' To be honest… I doubt you really get how wrong this is… But it's okay… Just don't do it again. '' He looks to the ground a moment and nods. Like she scolded a child. Kat sighs. She grabs her bag from his hand and fetches a painkiller out of it. She glances at the Valium but quickly deposes of the thought to take one. She's not really in panic, just a little mad. No reason to set herself onto something this strong. Not yet. She's not on her pills, she could get a panic-attack at the slightest trigger. She'd rather keep the Valium for that.

'' Can I smoke here? ''

'' I rather have you not. But I can bring you to a place where you can. '' He holds his hand out to her. She quickly grabs her lighter and a cigarette before taking it. He leads her through a mirror behind which another secret passing is. It's dark but like before there's a torch in a holder that offers them enough light to safely move forwards. It doesn't take long until they reach a spot where a grid above them leads to the street. There's a ladder attached to the wall, if she wanted to she could easily step outside. Instead she lightens her cigarette as he motions her to do so. She sees him watching her out of the corners of her eyes as she inhales the smoke.

'' Why are you doing this to yourself? It is bad for your health. '' He asks after 2 minutes passed in silence. She smirks,

'' Pretty much everything I do is. Smoking, drinking, drugs… other stuff. Being here is pretty much a danger to my health. '' He lowers his eyes again, his hands twitching. He wants to straighten his mask, she knows he does. Make sure it didn't come off again.

'' I'm not talking about your face, handsome. I mean your temper. I'm not afraid of you, if you think that. But it's a fact that I have quite a bad temper myself. At some point you're gonna scream at me and I will hit you. You will hit me back and we both are gonna get some really nasty injuries. ''

'' I would never… _never_ hurt you, Kathrine. ''

'' It's okay. ''

They both know she's right. It's only a matter of time.


	7. Chapter 62 - Who Dreams of Beauty

**Chapter 6,** **Part 2** **:** Who Secretly Dreams Of Beauty

* * *

They make their way back as soon as she's done. In the cave she walks to the lake to wash her hands in it. He uses the chance to shrug out of his boots and change his cloak with the coat from before. He doesn't take off his mask and he leaves the wig on too but she sees out of the corners of her eyes how his hands move up to it shortly. He's considering it. Probably he doesn't believe her that she's really fine with it. She will try to get it off again later. For a long time Kat thought that Holly started to hate her after she found out about Kat's condition. Holly told her at every opportunity that she doesn't hate Kat. That's what she will try now. Reassuring. Caring. She walks past him to get the camera and the powerbank out of her bag. Without mentioning to him what she's doing she switches the camera with her phone but his curious voice is soon close to her as he walks up behind her,

'' Why are you changing the object? ''

'' Because the camera is meant to film, my phone was just a small resolution. ''

'' Will you tell me what it does? '' She smiles at him while placing her phone on his organ. She doesn't exactly want to put it back into her corset. It's tight enough already but before she just had no other choice back in her dressing room.

'' Sure. But first I want to see what you wanted to show me. '' His eyes lighten up as he seems to remember about that.

'' Ah, yes. Please follow me. '' He leads her to the other room and for the first time her eyes really roam the around. There's a shelve with dozens of books messily stuffed into it behind the bed. A dresser is hidden around the corner of the 'door'. Next to the bed is another candle holder and a box with a monkey on a chest that's holding cymbals in his hands. In the left corner of the room behind the bed is a statue of a phoenix and another one of a panther. There is more small bits and pieces of all kind of old stuff. Back in the area where the sketches and his desk were there was many small oddments too. Like he didn't want any space to be empty. The bed is even more amazing now that she really pays attention to the details. It's actually metal or maybe even something more solid.

'' How did that get here? ''

'' I brought it down here through the water, It did not fit through the gate. I… got it from a wealthy family. ''

'' You mean you stole it. '' He smiles at her slyly.

'' Yes. ''

 _Another coin. Almost rich._

'' Didn't you break your back getting everything down here? The bed, the organ, 's all really heavy. ''

'' It did take a lot of work. And yes, I almost broke my back. ''

'' Well it's definitively worth the effort. The bed alone is totally awesome. But in combination with the rest it's kind of magical, little mysterious. Has kind of a Disney-Charm 'bout it. -I'll show you Disney later. ''

'' I am glad that you like it this much. '' They smile at each other, a comfortable silence coming up around them. Kat uses that opportunity to step closer to him and raise her hands to his face. He shrinks back slightly as he realizes what she's trying to do. This time, though, he tries to stay in position. His hands are trembling softly, she notes. His eyes close as she takes the mask and wig off his head. She puts both items onto the bed. As soon as his eyes open she cocks her head to the side, smile still on her lips,

'' Now what is it that you wanna show me? ''

'' Right. '' The Phantom gently takes her hand and guides her to the curtain that hangs from the wall on the right side close to the bed. Kat didn't pay much attention to it before but as soon as he lifts it aside, she sees that it's the entrance to yet another room. Her mouth forms to a small 'o' as he leads her inside. She releases his hand as she quickly moves into the middle of the room, her eyes roving around. The room is rather big. In front of the door is a large table with 2 chairs at each end and a candle holder in the middle. There are papers and pencils scattered on it, books . But the interesting thing is not the small area with the table. ¾ of the room is equipped with a red velvet carpet. A little away from the table is a comfortable looking, big, red sofa and a red armchair that are pointing at a chimney. The chimney looks like those typical old models you find in villas. On the small ledge over the open fireplace are more books and small figures. In the middle is a snow globe that holds a small man who's playing on a piano. The wall that is right to the one with the chimney is covered in another shelve. There are so many books here and yet Kat knows he probably read all of them. She walks up to the shelve and allows her fingertip to move along the book-backs. There are storybooks, books that teach the medical knowledge the 19th century has. Others are about history and music. There are some that teach other languages, Kat spots English, French, Spanish, Latin, German, Russian and Chinese.

'' Do you speak all those languages? ''

'' I… still have my difficulties with Chinese. Especially in pronouncing. ''

'' But the rest you speak? ''

'' Yes. ''

'' Fluent? ''

'' Quite so. I cannot say for sure that I pronounce every word correctly, though. ''

'' Say something in Spanish. '' He thinks a moment before smiling at her,

'' Estaba esperando toda mi vida para usted… Usted es mi destino. '' ( _I was waiting all my life for you. You are my destiny_ ) His smiles becomes a tad softer as she beams at him in both excitement and comfort. The words he spoke to her send a flutter through her chest but she's not quite sure if she should enjoy that feeling or lock it away.

'' Now Latin. ''

''Austeris es valde, angelum meum de musica. '' ( _You are quite demanding, my angel of music_ )

'' Thanks. '' He looks at her cocky grin in surprise,

'' You speak latin? ''

'' Nope. I have no idea what you said. The only latin thing I can speak is an exorcism. I speak fluent Spanish though. '' She smirks at the red that quickly creeps up his neck before shrugging her shoulder,

'' And I speak a tiny little bit french. And with tiny little bit I mean I'm capable to order a pizza and say 'thank you' or 'fuck you' on a good day. I'm not very talented with languages. I never put much thought into learning them. You know, my problem with teachers. ''

'' Ah, that. Of course. Well I cannot complain. Except for your terrible habit of always being late. ''

'' Hey for that I was a fuckin' fast learner. '' He crosses his arms over his chest and rises an eyebrow at her,

 _Aaand here's the next penny…_

'' It depends. My most important mission was to teach you a proper language. Now I start to doubt my own. My urge to be sarcastic is definitively growing. ''

'' Aw so I'm affecting you? How sweet! Say 'fuck'. ''

'' No. ''

'' C'mon! Say it, Shakespeare! ''

'' I find it quite interesting, to be honest. _You_ are british. British have the reputation to _always_ sound like Shakespeare no matter what they say. … _You_ more sound like what was left of him after he lost his employment and started drinking. '' Her mouth drops open at the dry comment and mischievous sparkle in his eyes. Her eyes wide and her voice an octave higher in her excitemend,

'' Did you just give me the perfect retort? Oh my gosh, you totally did! ''

'' The question is still in my head, though. '' He remarks with a grin himself. Kat shrugs,

'' What can I say, my dad's american. ''

'' Of course, that explains a lot. ''

'' That was a _burn_. I think we're really going somewhere now. '' He laughs suddenly, a rich sound that's wrapping around her almost like his singing does. She never felt this content, not in this way. She feels very comfortable around Holly, she feels comfortable around Jessie and Mr. Williams but the comfort is never this… comfortable. Cozy, like she's in a good dream.

'' We reached the moment: Fist bump! '' She holds her fist up before her but he only glaces at it in confuse,

''…Excuse me? ''

'' Fist bump. You have to bump your fist against mine. C'mon. '' Slowly he mirrors her gesture and softly knocks his fist against hers. The look on his face can only be described as adorable.

'' There you go! …Now say fuck. ''

'' I am not a dog you can train, Kathrine. Do not push your luck. '' He's not angry, just serious. But there's a hint on playfulness in his voice. She shrugs her shoulders and throws her body onto the armchair. Her head on one armrest while her legs dangle over the other.

'' If we go there already, you would be more like a puppy. Totally cute, little moody, little chaotic, bad at rules, barks at people, bites… Follows me around. -Are you housebroken? '' Suddenly a book flies into her direction and hits her on the head. She yelps and falls off the armchair in her shock.

'' Yo! ''

'' I did warn you. ''

'' Man, you don't throw stuff at your destiny. ''

'' Do shut up. '' Her pout abruptly changes into a smirk as she bats her eyelashes at him, her voice dropping into a seductive tone,

'' _Make me_ …'' His eyebrow rises again, his hands in his hips. Kat can't stop her eyes from moving to his chest a couple of times, she's going to hell. Now more than ever.

 _For a psychotic murderer that's never really interacted with someone he's pretty cut._

'' Did your mother wash your mouth out with soap many times in your childhood? '' Kat smirks,

'' _My_ mommy didn't but Holly's tried a couple of times. ''

'' I like your friend and her mother more and more. ''

'' Ah shut up and get this fire going before I throw the book back at you. -No wait, you said you're gonna inform my people that I'm okay. You did that yet? ''

'' No, I admit I forgot. ''

'' Okay new plan: I get the fire going and you go inform my folk that I'm safe and sound with the Phantom of the Opera. Oh they're gonna be like _real_ calm. ''

'' I will inform them of your safety but please do not try to… 'get the fire going'. I rather not run the risk that you burn down my home in the attempt to make a fire. '' She pouts but leans then back with a shrug, her arms crossing behind her head and her legs corssing over each other comfortable,

'' Fine with me, means I don't have to move. Hey, do you have chocolate? ''

'' I… do not. I could offer you something else? ''

'' Nah, I want candy. Chocolate or ice cream. Ooooh, or chocolate ice cream! With these little chocolate bits in it, know what I mean? '' He cocks his head to the side, a grin of amuse stretching his lips,

'' You do have quite the sweet tooth, do you not? ''

'' _Absobloodylootely_. '' He smiles but leaves the room then, informing her briefly that he will be back in no time. He also remembers her to please keep her hands off the fireplace. She shrugs her shoulders and lies back in the armchair. The painkiller kicked in a couple of minutes ago so her back is not even twitching anymore. She is pretty sure, however, that there will be a few bruises. Not because he pushed her so hard but because of how she impacted with the ground. The corsett feels tighter than before so she did manage to bruise her ribs a little. All she wants right now is to have it finally off but there's no one that can help her. It's not that she's shy about asking him, just because he helps her won't mean he could accidentally slip and fall into her vagina. But knowing him he would get a heart-attack before he undid the first hook. Who gets the idea to close those things with hooks on the back anyway? And what total idiot got the idea to put strings over that? She possesses a few corsetts herself but they're all easy to open. Mostly because the hooks are at the front. Still, the thought to ask him to help her out of that is ghosting through her mind for the whole day already. Should she risk it?

With a sigh she gets out of the airmchair and walks back into the 'living room', if you can call it that. He's sitting on his desk, writing something onto a card. So he sends a note. Of course he does. The Phantom of the Opera is sending notes. She smiles a little at the images that goes through her head about how the others will react to this.

Do not fear for Miss Jones, she is safe. Make no attempt to find her.

'' Very poethic. My teacher's gonna jump in triangles. ''

'' Forgive me if I do not care for his opinion at all. '' Kat looks at him confused as she notes the slight tense in his voice. He can't stand her teacher, that's for sure. She's just not sure why.

'' Hey… would it be okay if I write a separate letter for Holly? ''

'' Of course. Do you wish to sit? '' He pulls another card from one of the drawers and hands her his feather.

'' Nah I'm fine. '' She bends over the desk, her arm brushing his as he seals the note in an envelope and puts his seal on it. Kat eyes the skull with a smirk, it's pretty neat. She quickly scribbles something down she knows will calm Holly,

I'm fine, don't worry. And I swear I'm not in danger either. I stay away for a little while longer though. -Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man

'' Another alliteration? '' She smirks,

'' Yeah. I think I got a comic or two on my phone, we can read them later if you're up for it. Oh now that I think about it, I got a couple of my favorite episodes of Supernatural, Sherlock, Hannibal, Doctor Who, Orange is the new Black and other stuff on the USB stick in my bag too! We're gonna have a great night! '' He chuckles at Kat's excitement and gently touches her cheek,

'' I am looking forward to it. I will be back soon. '' She nods and waves as he leaves through the mirror. It must be dark outside then. She doubts he would use that way if it wasn't dark. Except, of course, there are other secret ways behind that mirror. Probably there are. Kat sighs, hopefully Holly won't be mad at her when she returns. But right now she wants to stay with the Phantom for just a little longer. She'll tell Holly the details when she's back. She walks to her bed where she left the small bag to roll a joint. Just in case her anxiety's going to kill her at some point through the lack of pills. In worst-case-scenario she still has the Valium but she rather sticks to weed before. While looking for her pot she notices the second camera in her bag with another powerbank. Suddenly she remembers that her phone must have recorded their fight. And her attempts to flirt with him which he either didn't notice or politely ignored with a blush. She wonders if it caught a glimpse of his face. She hopes not. She promised to show him what the camera's there for. On the other hand, she was planning to delete some of it anyway. The camera is capable to switch off as soon as there's no movements close by but it probably still recorded a lot of unnecessary stuff. She looks over the second camera and glances up at the gate from her position. She could leave this camera in her bag and use it in case the battery of the other one dies. But the other one can't record this room or the other. If she could, she would set up a camera everywhere. She doesn't even know why she always wants to make videos or take pictures of every important event of her life. No, actually that's a lie. She knows why she wants to have a proof in her hands. Since she first didn't recognize herself in the mirror, she needs a proof for everything that's real in her life. She has dozens of DVDs at her home in a folder that hold all kind of memories. They're out of reach and only Holly knows where she hides them. Still, if she records her time here and somebody finds that she would get her Phantom into a lot of trouble. She doesn't want that. But she needs to remember this. She needs this memory to be in reach for her. She couldn't stand it if she would forget a single moment of this…

* * *

As soon as he returns, his eyes instantly fall upon Kathrine who climbed up the gate entirely seemingly without any real purpose. Her face is turned to the stone that her hands hold on to while her feet stand on the gate. His eyes widen and for a moment he fears he might get a stroke. As calm as he can he walks to the shore, not willing to scare her in a bad attempt to quickly reach her.

'' Kathrine… what are you doing? '' His eyes narrow in confuse as she doesn't even acknowledge him. Is she muttering to herself?

'' Kathrine! '' This time she violently flinches at his voice and screeches as she looses her grip for a moment. In a heartbeat the Phantom runs up to her but she manages to push her legs through the grid so that she dangles head-first down from it, her back pressed against the gate, her arms stretched from her body and her eyes wide. He groans, his hands coming to his face while she blinks rapidly,

'' Why do you _bloody_ scare me like this mate! In case you didn't notice, I'm not exactly safe up here! ''

'' That is why I was asking what you are doing! ''

'' I didn't hear you! No reason to yell at me! Why don't you toss a stone next time, that would be just as much of a good idea as yelling is! ''

'' Get down already! ''

'' Alright! Alright! Relax Margery… -Hey what I wanted to ask: didn't your back kind of hurt as you carried me around yesterday? '' Confuse fills him again,

'' No, you are not that heavy. Where is that question coming from? '' She doesn't even answer him. Instead she just allows her body to drop down on what he instantly jumps forwards to catch her, yelling her name in his shock. She lands in his arms rather swiftly, her eyes closed. Slowly one eye opens to look around before she sighs in release. He feels like tossing her somewhere against the wall,

'' What in the devil's name was this supposed to be! ''

'' Faith test. You passed. '' With another one of her impudent grins she pats his cheek and jumps out of his arms.

'' This is a horrible test! ''

'' I know. But I was too lazy to climb down on my own so I used the chance. ''

'' You will give me a stroke. ''

'' I'd rather give you a boner… but I guess I take what I get. ''

'' A what? '' She stops dead in her tracks to look at him shocked, her mouth and eyes wide open. Suddenly she groans in something like defeat. Kathrine raises her hands over her head and shakes her head,

'' I'm not even gonna explain that. Seriously, this is such a waste in every way imaginable! ''

'' Will you tell me what you did up there? ''

'' Looked at the perspective. Not the result I wanted. ''

'' What result was that? ''

'' You'll see as soon as my little project's over. '' His eyes narrow but he nods in acceptance. He cannot say that he likes the secrets she is keeping from him but he feels like it will not be anything that could harm him later.

'' How did my people react to your letters? ''

'' They seemed quite humored. Your scholar was everything but amused, for what I really could not care any less than I do. Your friend, on the other hand, seemed rather satisfied. The worry she obviously felt did not fade entirely but it became less. ''

'' That's good. ''

'' She did mutter an insult, though. And it was not directed to me because she clearly said 'tell her that she's' before. ''

'' Lemme guess, she said you're supposed to tell me I'm an asshole? ''

'' Yes. ''

'' Well I probably _am_ an asshole. But I'm _her_ asshole. I'm gonna be an asshole to everyone that tries to pick on her. And if someone tries to really hurt her I'm _her_ _psycho_ and _break_ that fucker's bones. ''

'' Thank you for those warning words. '' Kathrine's laugh is like music to his ears. Exquisite, beautiful, a shimmer of hope in his endless misery. They walk side by side towards the bedroom but he stops at his organ,

'' Kathrine… I was wondering if you'd like to sing with me before we settle before the chimney? ''

'' Sure. Did you have anything special in mind? '' He feels light at her quick approval. He knew it, she was born to sing. For him and for herself. On his stage. As the diva of his opera. She sits next to him, her shoulder touching his as she leans against him in comfort, her legs neatly standing on the ground.

'' Your second aria. ''

'' Why that one? ''

'' There is one, small, flaw I noticed- ''

'' I knew it. I messed up. '' She puts her face in her hands with a long groan and stretches her legs away from herself. He cannot help himself but chuckle at his little diva. So stubborn, so beautiful.

'' I guarantee you, you did not ruin anything. You were perfect. But when we work on this certain note your next performance will improve even more. ''

'' It's not perfect if there's a flaw. -Wait, next performance? '' He senses the upcoming disaster but decides to act against the silent voice in his head that is warning him about continuing.

'' I could not fail to notice that Carlotta did not return. And my _managers_ consider asking you for another performance, should you return until then. '' She shakes her head at him, her expression showing honest remorse,

'' I can't. ''

'' But you were absolutely astonishing. That terrible excuse of a diva would never reach _your_ talent. ''

'' It's not that I wouldn't want to. I am just not capable to do so. ''

'' But why not? Your nervousness has no ground. You are brilliant- ''

'' No it's not simple nervousness. It's anxiety. Really, really bad anxiety that's making it hard for me to breathe. ''

'' You did not seem like…''

'' The type of person that's uncomfortable with social activities or attention? Yeah I know. It's not all the time but mostly because I take pills for that. I would love to sing for you on that stage again… but I can't. I'm sorry, but that's not possible. I was serious as I said I was about to get a heart-attack. Do you know the feeling of your heart exploding in your chest of fear? When your whole throat becomes tight and you feel like you can't breathe? That feeling when all you want to do is hide somewhere in the dark and scream and cry? ''

'' Yes… I do… -I'm sorry, I did not realize you felt that way. Did you feel like that while you sang? ''

'' It was okay as I was _on_ the stage because I was more focused on not cocking-up but that time before and while break almost killed me. …I was… actually hoping you might come by for a second. '' He looks down at her. She wanted him to be with her before her performance? To calm her? Suddenly he feels her body trembling slightly, a painful smile on her beautiful features. His angel looks about ready to cry and his heart is wrenching in his chest,

'' I… did not know. I am sorry… I'm so sorry Kathrine. Had I known… I would not have left your side- ''

'' It's okay, I didn't tell you. Was my own fault. You don't need to apologize for anything. '' In spite of the loud warning his conscious screams at him, he wraps his arms around her to pull her close to him. He can feel her smaller body trembling in his arms, her face burying instantly in his neck and her arms captured between their bodies. He can feel her fingers curling over his bare chest,

'' No. No it was not. It was not your fault. My angel, my beautiful angel. I am so sorry. I should have seen the discomfort but I was too wrapped up in my own selfishness to see your suffering. '' He feels like hurting himself as he feels a single tear falling into his neck. She shakes her head,

'' Maybe I could try again… and when I don't have to be on stage we could… meet somewhere? I mean… I don't know if it's really gonna help but I could give it a try? '' Her voice is so careful. As if she wouldn't want to bother him. How could she ever believe that her company could be a bother to him.

'' My dear little angel… You are, of course, always welcome in box 5. And if you rather wish for more silence I will wait for you in your dressing room. Say whatever you need and I will do it. No matter what it is. I will do anything for you. '' Her trembling becomes worse as more tears wet the skin of his neck. He tightens his embrace on her. With a look at his organ he gently closes the lid and slides one of his arms under her legs to lift her up.

'' You wanted to sing, we can still- ''

'' We have enough time to sing when you are feeling better. I will make a fire and bring us both a hot cup of tea. Do not worry my love, I will not let any harm come to you. '' She buries her face in his neck again. He can feel her heart beating, her body trembling. But her fingers curl around his chest and she seems to move closer to him. He sets her down gently on the sofa, her legs pulled up against her chest as she curls to a ball. There are traces of tears over her face and it breaks his heart. Slowly he kneels down before her to gently wipe the tears from her face,

'' Please don't cry my angel…'' She shakes her head, her hands coming to her face to wipe over it roughly,

'' Sorry… 's the lack of pills, that makes me really emotional…- '' She breaks off as she begins to cry again. He wants to comfort her but he does not know how. The only thing that comes to his mind is making her a tea. First though, he will start the fire. He turns his back to her to quickly put in a few blocks of wood and enlighten them with a little help of old newspapers. When he turns he sees the faintest smile on her lips as her eyes stare into the fire,

'' I will be right back. '' A sarcastic smile tugs at her lips but he can see that she's trying her hardest to keep it up,

'' Don't tell me you have a kitchen here somewhere. '' He gives her a self-assured smirk,

'' I have a stove to warm up water together with food I do not need to cook. If I feel like it, though, the Opera kitchen is right above us. '' She wipes the tears away as she swallows hard,

'' What, you cook yourself something in between and no one notices? ''

'' I am doing this for a long time. The kitchen is locked at night. '' She smiles but doesn't say anything further. He knows that she must be tired from the crying and that it probably is not over yet. He knows that feeling all too well. His whole childhood was filled with that horrible feeling of fear. His adulthood was like that too. Until Kathrine entered his life. The mere thought that she has to go through this too for whatever reason and that he could maybe have prevented this makes him mad with anger and remorse. If she is willing to sing on his stage again just to make him happy, he will do anything he can to prevent her from feeling like this ever again. He will never let any harm come to her.

The Phantom soon returns with 2 cups, one with hot chocolate for Kathrine's sweet tooth, the other with tea for himself. He also found some chocolate in the kitchen. He places both cups on the table and hands the candy to his angel who by now snuggled up against the armrest. Her eyes regain some of their sparkle as she realizes what he brought her.

'' You got me chocolate! '' He chuckles and sits at the opposite end of the sofa, not sure if she still wants the closeness between them. Panic can make you affectionate but that feeling soon leaves when the panic faded. To his big surprise Kathrine soon crawls over to him to wrap her arms around his arm, her body leaning against his side and her head on his shoulder. He smiles down at her, not quite sure if he should trust this situation. As she slept he kept himself awake with playing his organ and watching her sleep. He just did not dare to allow his mind to fall asleep, too afraid she might be gone when he wakes. Right now, though, he cannot help himself but feel a comfortable sleepiness fog his mind. His head moves to lay upon hers but then he feels the mask between them and quickly regains his posture.

'' …You can take it off…''

'' I do not wish to upset you. ''

'' I told you I'm fine with it. ''

'' Are you sure? '' He feels her nod. Her eyes don't even move up to him as he takes both items off and places them on the table. Kathrine only snuggles close to him and looks at the fire,

'' Do you have a shower or something like that? I really wanna clean up. My hair's becoming greasy. ''

'' Of course. '' Finally he allows his cheek to rest on her head, the pleasant scent of her soft hair in his nose.

''…Can you… sing that one song again? The one you sang yesterday as you brought me here? '' He smiles, a small teasing note in his voice,

'' If you wish for me to tell you that I love you, all you have to do is ask. ''

'' Play nice. '' He chuckles,

'' If my Diva commands. '' He sits up a little, only faintly noting her protest as she can no longer lean against his arm with all her weight. He turns his body to her a little to have a full view on her, his back straight to allow each note to pass from him freely,

'' _Nighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation…_ '' She soon finds another angle she can use to snuggle up to him. Kathrine takes his arms to wrap them shamelessly around her waist before resting her back against his chest. He can feel his heart beating faster in his chest but tries to keep his voice unaffected by her closeness and the open comfort she seems to feel in his embrace. He allows her to position both of them until her legs are slightly angled against the backrest, her back is firmly against this chest and her head rolled back on his shoulder slightly. He smiles down at her, his voice growing softer. If he had to describe Kathrine in a word it would be 'Hurricane'. Because she came up out of nowhere and tore down every wall he built up around him. She consumed his heart like a hurricane. Kathrine is kind and gentle but she can also be as dangerous as himself. If not even more. Her temper is furious, fiery and completely overwhelming. He smiles down at her, his fingers aching to wrap his arms more tightly around her but he does not wish to press his luck. She wants him to leave off his mask and wig but he cannot say for sure if she really is not bothered by his face or if she pretends. There still a small fear in the back of his mind that she is merely tricking him for whatever reason there could be. The closeness between her and the scholar does add up to that discomfort. As he saw the emotional reaction of the other male the Phantom played with the thought to send another note to him. Maybe he will, probably he will, most definitively he will. But he will not tell his dear Kathrine about that. Maybe she cannot see behind the facade the scholar built up around him, but he can. And he will not allow that man to take her from him. It is about time he realizes where his place is.

Both of them fall asleep on the couch in no time.

* * *

'' _Carlotta is gone, Miss Jones is gone but still the seats get filled._ '' André sighs at the comment of his partner. They have heard no word of either Carlotta or Miss Jones for 2 day now. Their plan was to ask Miss Jones for another performance after they saw how popular she was to the audience. They loved her even though she has no past experience. The two managers were often stopped and complimented for their great discovery with the young woman.

'' _That is no use for us, should she not return_. ''

'' _Carlotta or Miss Jones?_ ''

'' _Do you hear what is going on,_ _Richard_ _? They are_ _cheering_ _for Miss Jones, not for Signora Guidicelli. Should Carlotta return and hear this…_ ''

'' _She will not be pleased for sure._ ''

'' _She will be furious._ ''

'' _But it's not our fault_. ''

'' _S_ _he will_ _not care._ ''

'' _But what should we do?_ '' Both stops in their hectic argument as Mister Williams passes them with fast steps.

'' Monsieur Williams, where are you going? '' The man was everything but a pleasant company the past two days. His worry for Miss Jones and his anger for the Phantom seem to be driving him mad. His mood for the two managers was especially irritated for both still refuse to try anything to find the missing graduate. The man does not even look at them as he calls over his shoulder, his feet carrying him to the entrance,

'' I will get the police. If you're not willing to do anything to find her, fine. I won't sit back and wait until somebody finds her dead body! '' They look at each other before running after him,

'' _Monsieur please!_ ''

'' _That is no use!_ ''

'' _You will only bring more danger to Miss Jones_! '' Just as the three men reach the door, another voice calls out for the man,

'' Mister Williams! '' He groans as the young friend of Miss Jones approaches them, her class close behind her, all determined expressions on their faces,

'' Not now Holly- ''

'' You can't get the cops! '' Jessie continues.

'' You too? What's wrong with you! Do you even realize in how much danger she is? That man's a psychopathic murderer! ''

'' He's not gonna hurt her! ''

'' We followed her the whole time she had lessons with him. ''

'' You did _what_?! ''

'' At first we wanted to tell you… but- ''

'' But he's really gentle with her! As he taught her the dancing he was really nice with her! ''

'' That's how psychopaths work, Andrea! They manipulate you into thinking they're good. '' The teacher tries to calm his voice into a reasonable tone,

'' But he wasn't manipulating! ''

'' Mister Williams he was really- ''

'' He's in love with her. '' Everyone stops at Holly's words. The teacher looks everything but pleased,

'' Holly this is not the time for jokes- ''

'' He told her. Kat didn't realize he did but I know. He told her he's in love with her. Why should he hurt her? '' They halt at the sound of Madam Giry clearing her throat at the end of the stairs, a note in her hand,

'' I have a note from the Opera Ghost. '' Mister Williams is the first one at her side to snatch the letter from her hand. The older woman eyes him but makes no move to scold. He roughly rips the letter open and reads over the few words that are written on the card. He growls so Jessie uses the chance to take the letter. His eyes narrow in confuse, a small grin coming to his lips though,

'' Do not fear for Miss Jones. I have her with me, she will be safe. Make no attempt to find her. '' Mister Williams grits his teeth,

'' Bastard…''


	8. Chapter 7 - Sweet Intoxication

**Chapter 7:** Sweet Intoxication

* * *

 **\- Day 2 -**

Kat wakes up with a dizzy feeling over her mind. That familiar feeling of a passed panic-attack. At least it didn't turn into an episode. She has to make sure to not trigger herself with anything until she has a hold on her pills. Yesterday her Phantom's presence helped her a lot but she can't say that it's gonna help again. She buries her face in her hands after stretching on the sofa. She told him about her anxiety and he felt responsible for her panic. That man's full enough of bullshit, she shouldn't add another weight to him. It was stupid of her to tell him. On the other hand… he might deserve the truth. Music's the most important thing to him, he needed to know that she is not repelled by his passion. As soon as her eyes open she notices that she's alone. The spot beside her on the couch is empty. Her eyes narrow as she stands up,

'' Cupcake? You here somewhere? _Marco_! ''

'' I am here! ''

'' Wasn't a 'Polo' but it's a start. '' She follows the direction where his voice came from to the wall across the table. Her eyes narrow at the cloak that hangs over the wall. With an risen eyebrow she lifts the cloak to open the 'door' to the bathroom. She was in here before but it's always again funny to see all those entrances and wannabe-doors. Carefully she steps into the smaller room to find her Phantom sitting in front of the large, expensive-looking tub to check the temperature of the water that is filling it.

'' Seriously, how did so many rooms get down here? '' He smiles at her as he stands back up, drying his arm with a soft-looking, white towel.

'' I built this one and made the room with the chimney bigger. It took me 4 years before I had the stone out and everything settled. '' She pushes her hip to the side, both her hands on her waist,

'' You're a bloody magician, Handsome. '' He smiles at her compliment.

'' I hope the water is not too hot for you. I put a towel here so that you can reach it easily. Take as much time as you need, I already brought your bag here. I was sure you have everything you need in there. ''

'' I do, yeah. Thanks a lot. '' He nods politely at her and makes his way to the door but with a glance down at herself she walks after him quickly. This is gonna kill him.

'' Wait! '' He instantly stops to look at her,

'' Is there anything else? ''

'' This is gonna mess you up… but I really need your help with something. ''

'' What is it? ''

'' You need to get me out of this corset. '' Silence.

'' …Pardon? ''

'' Now don't get a stroke, please. But I slept two nights in this thing now and I feel that it's slowly but surely cutting off every smallest air supply in me. I can't open it alone, the bloody thing got hooks on the back. '' His eyes widen to a size that it looks really unhealthy, his arms loosely at his sides, his mouth opening and closing like a fish trying to snap for breathe,

''… I… I do not think… that I… I mean… uh…'' She sighs as she watches how his head slowly changes it whole colour into red, his eyes wide open like a deer in headlights. With her arms risen before her in a calming gesture she steps closer,

'' C'mon, help a girl out? Please? If not I will break down any moment because this thing's killing my organs. Not to mention that bathing with this thing on will be… complicated. ''

''… I…''

 _I want a picture of that look as my lock screen._

'' If you don't help me I have to cut it open and could accidentally hurt myself while that. You want that? ''

'' I… will help you…'' She offers a happy smile and turns her back to him and loosens the ties of her dress-like jacket. She hears him moving close to her slowly but his steps halt as she allows the thin dress to slip down to her hips where she holds onto it. She plays with the thought to inform him that the chance that he slips and falls _into_ her is pretty low but she holds her tongue as he hesitatingly moves close to her. She can feel his hands brushing along her back as he moves his fingers to the first hook,

'' Are you sure that I- ''

'' Very sure. ''

* * *

He is not convinced if he should actually be doing this. It is one thing that he holds her when she needs comfort. It is one thing if he holds her hand to guide her. It is one thing if he touches her when they danced. It is one thing that he already has dreams about touching her like this. But undressing her outside of his fantasy? They are not married, they are not even a couple. He told her that he loved her, more than once. She never told him about her feelings, though. By now she politely avoided this certain subject. And he does not press her. He never believed that she could feel anything for him anyway. The relationship they have now is more than he could ever have dreamed. This comfortable intimacy between them. The way she lies her head on his shoulder, her arms wrapped around his and her body so completely relaxed. And now here she is, asking him to do something he has found himself fantasizing about by now. Allowing his hands to move over her bare skin, undress her, make her his. But this is not for him, she is asking him to do her a favor. That is not an act of seduction.

Still… He knows he is not worthy to be this close to her, no matter what she tells him. Maybe she can fool herself into believing that his face is not more than enough reason for him to stay away from her, but he knows the truth. He knows what people will think about her if she should keep this up. He will have her here for as long as she is willing to stay but he knows at some point she will want to go back to the light of day. How could he expect his angel to stay down here in this darkness for all her life? It is not possible. No matter how much he would want her to. If he could just live among others, if he just could be a normal man. He would lead this Opera and make her his diva. His wife. He would do anything to make her happy. But he can't. He cannot do this. He is no normal man. So he will undo her corset and leave before his mind can wander to places it does not belong. He will undo it and leave before he can give himself the chance to, just once, allow his hands to touch her skin more than necessary. The Phantom shakes his head. Slowly his hands slip between her skin and the corset to have a proper grip on it. He winces as he pulls too hard at the fabric and accidentally undoes the first 3 hooks at once. She falls back against him with a small, amused laugh and looks over her shoulder,

'' Eager? I thought the point in letting you do that is to keep it from ripping. '' He bites the inside of his cheek hard, trying his best not to let the sound of her voice affect him even more. The rough skin of his knuckles brushes over the soft, slightly tanned skin of her back as he lowers his hand to the next hook. He watches a shudder running down her back, the small hairs on her neck standing.

''…Are you uncomfortable? ''

'' Trust me, I'm everything _but_ uncomfortable. '' Her voice holds amuse but he notes the slightly darker sound of it. He can feel his heart beating almost painfully fast in his chest. Never before has he desired someone as he desires her. Her words affected him more than they should at this moment. They were most likely not meant to be this alluring and yet he cannot help himself but allow his eyes to drink in every bit of skin he can see. There are small scars on her back. They look pale compared to the color of her body. That tempting smell of hers reaches his nose again and he has to close his eyes as he carefully opens another hook. He works quickly but gently, trying to touch her as little as possible. As soon as the last hook is undone the corset opens on its own, revealing a rather nasty scar on her side. His eyes are glued to the mark. Almost by itself his hand moves up to brush his fingers over it. Kathrine makes no attempt to stop him but he can feel her shudder. Tenderly he places his palm over the mark. His head is titled down, his eyes narrowed as he cannot tear his eyes from his hand on her skin. Who did this to her? Her taint is slightly darker than his which makes him wonder if she maybe has Spanish roots and speaks it fluent because of that. In spite of the scars, her body is marvelous in every way. Her skin is so soft that he fears his rough hands could cut her skin. And yet he cannot bring himself to step away from her.

He should leave right now before he does something he cannot justify later on. But her scent and the heat of her body so close to his is intoxicating. God, how will he even begin to explain this to her? A voice in his head is screaming as he moves his face closer to the gape of her shoulder. But he cannot stop himself. And Kathrine makes no move to stop him either. He wants to hold every single consequence this could have in front of him but his mind is wiped clean as he steps in closer to her so that her bare back is pressed against his chest. The part where his chest is bare lies skin to skin with her and he cannot remember ever feeling something so wonderful. Kathrine sighs almost dreamily as his other hand wraps around her throat. His eyes close on their own as he bends his head down, his lips ghosting over her throat. He feels so warm, there's an almost uncomfortable pressure in his pants. He tries to reason with himself but his mind is no longer functioning like it should. He moves his lips from her neck up and along her jaw. Before he can stop himself his lips press onto the skin behind her ear. A groan from Kathrine rips him out of his trance. Not giving her the chance to lean her head back against him, he escapes from the room…

* * *

Kat looks after him with hooded eyes and her lips parted. As soon as the hanging that hides the room stops moving she allows her body to drop onto the tub edge. Everything in her is burning up with desire. And he felt the desire too. She had the proof pressing against her hips. He was so close to touch her, so close to just…

'' Damn, I need that bath…'' With a long sigh she allows the corset and the dress to freely fall to the ground. She steps out of her knickers and puts the stockings aside. She eyes the cloths a moment, no way in hell will she put that on again. It would look horrible without the corset anyway. Luckily she's got a bra and knickers in her bag. You never know when you might need that, after all. She pulls out the tiny bottle with shampoo that is barely enough for her whole body and the second bottle for her hair. While putting the red bra and panties onto the closed toilet seat, she puts the shampoo onto the edge of the tub. She tests the water faintly to notice that it has the perfect temperature right now. With a sigh of content she allows her throbbing body to slide into the water. She leans back and closes her eyes, her muscles relaxing at the hot water around her.

 _Second day and he was all over me. This is going pretty good I would say. Except for the running, maybe. I hope he's not beating himself up about that. Even though I think he might need a cold shower right now. Except, of course, he's taking care of himself-_

With a groan she quickly dives under the water, her eyes closed tightly. That's not the image in her mind she needs right now. She waits for as long as she can hold her breathe, which is quite long, mind her. Even after her lungs begin to ache and she has to come up again, the heat between her legs didn't disappear. Her eyes move to the curtain, the chance that he's in the other room is very very low. Right in that moment she notices the soft music, barely loud enough to reach her ears but enough for a little push of confidence. Slowly her hand slips between her legs…

By the time she gets out of the water it's cold. After helping herself out she was so content that she decided to lie back a little longer before washing herself. In front of the tub is another towel to keep the stone floor from getting wet. The towels he left for her are even fluffier than she thought at first so that she smiles to herself as she dries her body. The music didn't stop for longer than two minutes by now. He's keeping himself busy so Kat quickly makes up her mind and slips into the bra and panties. She wraps one towel around her hair and the other around her body rather tightly. With silent but fast steps she moves to the bedroom and only stops in front of his dresser. There's gotta be something there she can wear. She would ask him but if he sees her in only the towel with the red stripes of her bra showing he will not only get a stroke but never look her in the eyes again either. If he will do so at all after their small encounter in the bathroom. She didn't expect it to turn out like that. She was more expecting something like he rips open the thing and runs out with a polite comment. Had she known he would get this kind of push she'd… probably reacted the same. Even if she had wanted to try something, her mind was completely shut off and her legs were literally pudding. That made any attempts pretty impossible. To that comes, he probably has less experience in about anything than an infant. An infant received a kiss to the cheek or a hug here and now. She doesn't want to push him into anything. She almost sighs but forces herself to keep quiet. Inside the drawers are a few socks and a couple of really nasty white underwear. She quickly closes that drawer again with the mental note to never think about those again. She absolutely loves the cloths of this century, especially his, but damn those are horrible. The music didn't stop, he didn't notice her so she opens the doors of the wardrobe.

 _Bingo._

She finds a pair of rather small pants and 2 small shirts abandoned in the corner under the jackets and cloths he has. She would really love to dig through his stuff some more but the thought that he could notice her any moment makes her quickly shut the doors. The pants sit loosely around her calves but almost perfect on her hips. She smirks down at herself and pushes her hip out,

 _Catwoman-body, bam!_

The shirt is all in all too loose, on her stomach, arms and even chest. Therefor the cut and the size allow her to wear it extremely comfortably. Luckily the fabric is soft but not see-through.

'' I feel like a new human being! '' She exclaims loudly as she holds her hands above her head while coming out of her hiding.

* * *

The moment he hears her voice behind her, his stomach clenches and his heart tightens in fear. How he begged god that she will not hate him for the brief moment of blind lust. He lost his control and now he could easily have ruined it all. The only chance he has is to beg her for forgiveness and hope she will forget what has happened. He put his mask and wig back on, too. To lighten the mood.

'' Kathrine I…'' He trails off as he turns to find Kathrine close to him, her normally so messy hair sticking to her head, a relaxed and cheerful expression on her beautiful face. The thing that most catches his attention, though, are the cloths on her body. The white shirt that he abandoned many years ago sits rather loosely on her body but does not fail to still somehow present her curvy body. The black pants are loose on her calves but hug her hips rather rightly. The picture she gives can be described as both adorable and incredibly attractive. Something in the back of his mind itches at the sight of her in his clothes.

''…Kathrine… why are you wearing my clothes? '' She looks down at herself with an adorable expression of innocence,

'' Because I won't put on that dress again even if you pay me. '' He takes a couple of cautious steps closer but halts a few feet away from her.

'' The dress was lovely on you. ''

'' Thank you. -I'm still more the type for pants. Like, I can sit cross-legged in pants and lie down on my back and put my feet in the air without flashing. Is it okay that I borrowed the stuff? ''

'' Of course. I was… just confused. ''

'' I like the stuff. It's comfortable and kinda smells like you. '' She smiles sweetly as she pulls at the hem of the shirt, her nose twitching.

'' Like me? ''

'' Yeah… like candles and water and... something smooth. I like it. It's calming. ''

'' Is it? '' She smiles, probably at the dumbfounded look he gives her. But her words confuse him. She looks so honest, like she is so completely comfortable right now. It eases the pain in his chest almost instantly.

'' Was the first thing I noticed about you as you stood behind me. Your smell. I like people that smell good. '' He feels the edges of his mouth twisting into a warm smile at her words. And yet, the shadow of guilt about what happened still lies over him.

'' I will take a bath too, if that is alright for you? '' She nods and makes a dismissive gesture with her hand,

'' Sure suit yourself. '' He nods and leaves her alone. He really needs that bath now…

* * *

'' Phaaaantom! '' He stops dead in his tracks the moment he returns. Kathrine sits on the small space between the left edge of the organ and the pipes. The space is barely enough to fit her hips but she seems rather comfortable with her feet on the closed lid. Is his eye twitching?

 _Which arm becomes numb again before one has a heart-attack?_

'' Please get down- ''

'' I'm so hungry, give me foooood! '' His eyes close as he has to force down the urge to murder her on the spot.

'' I will bring you a meal but please come down- ''

'' I don't move a muscle until I've got food. Move it, Cupcake. '' His eye twitches again.

'' Do you have a wish? ''

'' Just something, I don't care what. I'm sooo hungry. '' He nods and quickly rushes to the space where he keeps his rations. Of course she will be hungry by now. He is too. None of them has eaten since yesterday evening. He should have considered this. The 'kitchen' is actually in a really small side-cave that is next to the bedroom. He quickly picks up 3 Baguettes, Brocciu, Coppa and marmalade. Before he leaves the 'kitchen' to put everything on the table in the living room, he also heats water on the stove so that he can offer her coffee or tea. He places everything neatly on the table together with plates, knifes and cups. His glance rests a little longer on the items, this is the first time he has ever set the table for two. Normally it has always been just him. Madam sometimes invited him for a tea as he was younger or taught him how to make food for himself. She tried to somehow involve him in her life but both of them knew that it would not be easy. He decided to stay hidden to keep her out of danger. She invited him for Christmas once or twice, though. She did her best. He could never thank her enough for that act of kindness.

'' I prepared a late breakfast. If you want to follow me into the living room? I can offer you coffee or tea. '' The smile she gives him makes him instantly forget his anger on her for sitting on his beloved organ. The dark thoughts from before are gone too, for now.

* * *

'' Would you like some of the Pancetta? '' He asks as soon both of them sit. He even pulled the chair out for her but she didn't sit for long before deciding to move her stuff next to him. Why should they sit at different sides of the table? That's ridiculous. She titles her head in confuse,

'' What's that? ''

'' Italian bacon. '' She holds her hand up then, a polite smile on her lips,

'' I'm a vegetarian. So I pass, thanks. '' Suddenly he gets to his feet and tells her to wait. When he returns he brings a can with hot water and something that looks a lot like animal to her.

'' Here, try this. '' He places the place before her before taking a seat again.

'' What's that? ''

'' Saumon. ''

'' Looks like animal…''

'' It is not meat, I promise. '' She eyes him skeptically but tastes it then carefully. It does taste kind of great so she smiles and takes another bite,

'' That's yummy. And what exactly is that now? We've got many meat-substitutes in my world, didn't know they got this stuff here too. ''

'' It is not a substitute, it is Salmon- Kathrine! '' He watches with wide eyes how Kat suddenly jumps out of her chair and bolts to the bathroom. In her sudden shock she tossed the plate to the ground while making a run for the door, she can hear it shattering on the ground but right now she couldn't care less. She kneels before the toilet and spits every piece of fish out of her mouth. A sudden sick feeling overcomes her. After spitting everything out she wipes her mouth with the back of her hand. Her eyes move to the Phantom who's still standing in the door, looking at her with wide eyes but she can't stop the anger broiling over in her,

'' Why do you give me that! '' He only faintly winces before yelling back at her,

'' You said you like it! ''

'' I didn't know it's fish! ''

'' What- '' He breaks off as she gags. Right now she feels really ill.

'' I think I'm gonna throw up…''

'' Kathrine… are you alright? ''

'' No! I ate a dead animal! That's not fine, that's disgusting! ''

'' You said you were a vegetarian! ''

'' And why the bloody hell do you give me fish then! ''

'' Because it's not meat! ''

'' It's a dead animal! ''

'' But not meat! ''

'' ANIMAL! That's what vegetarian means! You don't eat anything an animal died for! Where did you live those past years, in a cave?!- '' She breaks off as she realizes what she said and burrows her face in her arms, trying to force down the trembling in her body. The lack of medication to keep away the anxiety in her is also reason for her sudden harsh reaction. The bad conscience kicks in as she looks past her arms after a few minutes to find him silently turning to walk back into the living room. She can hear him picking up the shards of the plate she broke. Her teeth sink into her bottom lip as she faintly sees the emotionless look on his face. Kat wipes her mouth another time and rises back to her feet. If he heard her movements he doesn't acknowledge her. His eyes stay on the shards, an expression on his face that reminds of a child. Thinking about it like that, he probably is one, in some way. He's spent all those years down here by himself. Sure, he had Madam Giry but that's not how someone should grow up. He didn't grow up playing with other kids or troubling with school. He didn't have a high school crush, he never secretly tried drinking or smoking. There probably have been no real scoldings or lessons on morals either. He never had a job or felt frustrated because he couldn't pay bills. Everything that kind of adds to a normal life, even here in this world, was somehow kept away from him. He has no idea how to react in these kind of situations because he has no experience with them. Just like a child. If you scream at a child they will focus on something else while keeping an emotionless look on their face. Suddenly Kat becomes painfully aware of the fact that she's probably the first person he took down here. Maybe she's even the first person he ever loved.

He doesn't look up as she stops behind him but his hands don't move over the shards either. His body jerks slightly as she kneels down beside him. Carefully Kat wraps her arms around him and pulls him against her. The hand on his back moves up and down, trying to act calming,

'' I'm sorry…'' His arms lower slowly, the faintest tremor running through his body. Kat tightens her hold on him a little so that he can rest his forehead on her shoulder but as the mask touches her shoulder he flinches back again. She shakes her head softly and pulls back far enough to gently remove the mask and wig from him. He doesn't look at her. Like the first time she unmasked him he keeps his eyes closed. Her eyes narrow. Slowly not to frighten him Kat leans her face close to his and presses a gentle kiss to his deformed cheek. The moment his eyes open wide in shock, the first tears begins to fall. She kisses his temple and pulls him close to her again, the mask and wig forgotten next to them. Her hand keeps still on his back this time but her other hand softly strokes over his thin hair.

'' I'm so sorry Phantom…''

''...Erik. '' His voice is small, barely a murmur under his breathe. She hears it nevertheless. For a moment Kat isn't sure if she shouldn't ask him to repeat that. But right now curiosity is the last thing they need. The last thing he needs. She hurt the man in her arms more than once in those two short days and she never felt more horrible.

'' _Erik_ …'' The name rolls easily off her tongue. She can feel him shuddering beneath her and her smile widens.

'' Let's eat something and then you can tell me about that flaw my performance had. '' After his nod they both get back to the table. For a long time they eat in silence, neither daring to say something first. Kat's not so sure if he wants to talk to her right now.

'' Kathrine, may I ask where you got the scars? '' She looks from her baguette up at him, playing with the thought to lie to him. He's not gonna like the answer.

'' …I'm fighting. In England there are illegal street fights where you can win plenty of money if you're good. I'm on of the champions. '' Like she expected it, his eyes widen and his expression twists into disapproval,

'' That sounds extremely dangerous! ''

'' It is. I had plenty of injuries already. The worst, I think, was as that one guy broke 3 of my ribs and almost my leg. Try to go to school with that. I had to pretend that I was run over by a car so that I could go to the hospital and get proper treatment. ''

'' But why would you do this if it is threatening your life? ''

'' Because normal jobs have a shitty payment and I had to somehow earn money. The people that run the place don't care about your age or if you're experienced. They care about a good show. I was taking gymnastic lessons as a child and since I'm a Teen I added material arts. As a kid I wanted to be Catwoman, I kind of reached that goal. ''

'' It is stupid to risk your life for nothing but a 'good show'. That scar on your side, where is that from? ''

'' Some fucker pulled a knife and I failed to move aside. Lost the fight and won 12 stitches. Doesn't matter, he was kicked. Knifes and guns are not allowed. Bats and other object are, though. Well, had he tried to slit my throat with a broken, sharp chair leg he'd have won a lot of money. ''

'' I am playing with the thought to never let you out of my reach again. ''

'' I will ignore the creepy sound that has and focus on the fear for my life. It's cool though. I'm good at it. I didn't lose for 3 years now and I don't even get hurt that bad anymore. '' He gives her a clearly unamused look, his voice dry,

'' Are you expecting this to calm me? ''

'' No. It's my life. If I want to put it on line I can do that. I appreciate the worry, really do. But I like the fighting. It helps me putting off stress. So in the end it really doesn't matter if you like it or not. '' It's very obvious that he's everything but pleased at her statement. Right now Kat can't say if it's because of the fighting or because she basically just told him to stay out of her business. Probably it's both. She decides to switch the subject,

'' So Erik it is. I like that. Do you have a last name? ''

'' I do not know my last name. '' She looks at him surprised,

'' Really? ''

'' My… mother never told me. I had a… very unpleasant childhood. Madam brought me to the Opera when I was 9. I have not left these caves since then. They are both my safe-place and my cage. Should I return to the surface, my childhood would only begin all over again. '' She feels her heart sinking in her chest. She wants to dig deeper, ask what happened to him. She needs to know what they did to him. But one mental breakdown is enough for today. Maybe she will ask him tomorrow. But only if they don't fight before. She'll be really nice to him and gentle and show him that she cares for him even thought she can't say it.

'' Pass me the butter Erik. ''

'' I… do not have butter. ''

'' I know. Just wanted to say your name. '' He hides a smile.

* * *

Almost an hour later they're back at his organ. He did complain about her sitting on the instrument but he gave up soon enough as she gave him a kicked kitten face and said 'please' very nicely. They held a rather brief conversation over breakfast about the books in his shelves and about the mechanism he uses for about everything he does. Saying that Kat was impressed at the intellect of that man is an understatement. For Kat it's hard to imagine how he could learn all of that on his own. She made the experience that she learns stuff quicker if she has examples and people she can learn with instead of just staring at books for hours. On the other hand… her intellect is on a normal level. His is way above her.

'' _Think of me, think of me fondly when we've said goodbye_ \- '' He stops her. Again. She sighs and leans back against the organ. He made her stand while singing. She tried to convince him to let her sit but in the middle of their warm up he told her to finally stand. He never let her sit while their lessons in the chapel either.

'' You have to control your breathing more Kathrine. When you reach a higher note you always raise your chin and your shoulders because you think it will make the note higher but that is not correct. Try to stay relaxed and keep your chin down. ''

'' It's getting kind of uncomfortable sometimes. Right here. '' She points at her pharynx. His eyes follow her hand to her throat and he nods with a soft hum,

'' Try to open your mouth a little more if you feel like the pressure on your throat becomes too great. I noted that you never fully open your mouth even though you do put your chin quite high. ''

'' Thinking about my mouth a lot? ''

'' Of course. It is important for the lesson. '' She sighs in frustration. This is pointless.


	9. Chapter 8 - Cannot Resist

**Chapter 8:** Helpless To Resist

* * *

 **\- Day 3 -**

Kat wakes up to the feeling of someone pushing some of her hair out of her face. She screams in shock, her body furiously jerking. In one quick motion she sits up and uses the speed of her movement to punch the person across her hard in the face. The sleepy fog over her mind clears on an instant as she hears Erik howling in pain as well as shock. With her eyes wide and her hands slapped over her mouth she watches how he falls to the ground, holding his bruised cheek and bleeding nose.

'' Fuck…''

'' What in the name of sanity Kathrine! '' Slowly her mouth closes as she watches him on the ground and for a moment she looses focus on the situation,

'' Hey do you need CPR? Cause I can totally do CPR. ''

'' Kathrine you hit me! Spare me your alliterations! ''

'' I was offering mouth to mouth resuscitation you bloody waste of flirt-attempts. ''

'' You think this is the right moment to attempt to flirt?! You hit me! ''

'' Hey that was your own fault! Why do you just touch me in my sleep! You don't touch a crazy person in her sleep! You never know if that crazy person has any fucked up reflexes! ''

'' What reflex makes you hit me! ''

'' Obviously mine does! I thought you were trying to kidnap me or stab me or whatever! '' He stops in his attempt to get back to his feet for a second to give her a look that clearly says 'fuck you' even if he'd never say it out loud.

'' Kathrine why on earth would I do that! ''

'' I didn't recognize you right away! ''

'' What, did you think someone magically levitated you to another place! ''

* * *

'' No! -… Look, I'm sorry. Here, sit down, I got something against that. '' Gently she urges him onto the bed and crawls then to the other side to fetch her bag. With his hand still firmly covering his bleeding nose, he watches her as she pulls out a disinfection spray, a tissue and another can. She settles on her legs in front of him and gently puts two fingers under the deformed jaw to catch a better look at it. There's an uncomfortable clenching in his stomach but the sudden stab of pain coming from his nose as Kathrine silently makes him press the tissue against it, lets him forget everything else for a moment. After grabbing another tissue she raises the disinfection spray to his bruised cheek. Kathrine's eyes shift to meet his, a silent apology in them,

'' This is gonna sting a bit. '' As the spray touches his cheek he doesn't even flinch. Instead he eyes Kathrine closely. She is not a morning person, he will note that. From now on he will approach her more carefully in the morning. Even though it is way past morning already. They fell asleep with a glass of wine in front of the chimney. He woke up in the middle of the night as he dreamed someone found his layer and tried to steal Kathrine from him. He sat with her in his arms for a long time before he dared to bring her to bed and finally settle on the sofa. His sleeping angel did not wake once while that. He did not think she would react this extremely to his attempt to wake her. Especially given the fact that he was really gentle.

'' I'm glad I didn't break anything like I did the last time someone sneaked up on me. '' She mutters under her breathe what causes him to arch an eyebrow at her,

'' You _what_? ''

'' Nick, that's a friend of mine, crashed at my place that one night cause Julia kicked him out. Julia's his girlfriend. And we were drinking a little and I fell asleep at some point. Next morning he wanted to wake me to tell me he'd try to go back and I got scared, punched him in the face and broke his nose. ''

'' You are brutal. ''

'' Hey, I called an ambulance! And _he_ scared _me_! I needed 2 years before I could sleep in the same room as Holly and it took just as long before she could wake me without having to duck. ''

'' Duck? ''

'' I uh… throw stuff too. '' She shrugs her shoulders with a guilty smile. It is one of the most beautiful smiles Erik has ever seen. And yet he cannot ignore the slight itch in the back of his mind, he should make sure there is nothing in her reach in that case.

'' Okay all done. I'll spray ice-spray onto your cheek now. It'll cool the injury so you don't feel it anymore and it'll heal a little faster. '' He barely flinches as the cool spray covers his cheek. Like she said the pain soon fades. His eyebrow rises as he watches how she puts everything back into her bag.

'' I find it always again curious to see what you have inside that bag. ''

'' Never question the bag of a woman. I swear if you ask any woman if she has a screwdriver with her and she's got a bag she'll never say 'No', she'll say 'wait a second' and look for one. '' He chuckles.

'' Are you willing to stand up and follow me into the living room? I prepared breakfast. I… presume you want coffee with a thump wide milk and two sugar? ''

'' Anyone ever told you that you're the perfect sweetheart? ''

'' Only you, my love, and I thank- '' He breaks off as she sits up on her knees to kiss his cheek. He would be lying if he would say that she has absolutely no influence on him.

'' W… what was that… for? ''

'' That's the 'thank you' a sweetheart gets. ''

Considering, maybe he will finish her breakfast each morning.

* * *

'' How come you have Dracula here? As far a I know it was published in 1890s. We're 1870, right? ''

'' We are indeed. Madam brought me several books from your world. ''

'' She left Paris? ''

'' In her early pregnancy with Meg her husband took her to Europe. It was a gift to her. She bought many books for me. ''

'' What happened to her husband? ''

'' An accident. Something hit him. I think Madam called it a 'car'? She has not tried to visit your world again ever since. As far as I know she barely speaks about her visit there. ''

'' Yeah I bet... like, that's pretty traumatic. '' He nods with a grim expression. Madam Giry means a lot to him, Kat noticed that. At first Kat thought Meg maybe was the result of an affair or that maybe Madam's husband run off. This is a lot worse.

'' Know what I noticed? That rhyme book there is the only one that looks barely touched. '' She suddenly says, cup risen to her lips. He looks over his shoulder at the book she means and smiles a little sheepishly, sending another flutter through her chest. She really likes that smile.

'' I do admit I promised myself more of them. I do admire good literature but I could not quite find myself to enjoy those dull rhymes. ''

'' Yeah I bet they're all really boring. I had to read some in school. Not the kind of rhymes I would read willingly. '' He puts his chin on his folded hands and looks at her with interest.

 _Cross that, this is my new favorite look. 3 more coins. I'm way past rich already._

'' What rhymes do you know, then? I am curious to hear a rhyme that you enjoy. '' She looks at him for a moment, thinking. Suddenly a grin comes to her full lips and she titles her head to the side cheekily,

'' Roll, roll, roll a joint and pass it down the line. Take a toke, inhale the smoke and blow your fucking mind. ''

'' Better keep that to yourself. '' She pouts,

'' Rude. ''

'' Honest. ''

'' Both. ''

'' Acceptable. ''

* * *

'' Erik? Do you have more chocolate? '' She asks as soon as they both cleaned and put away the dishes. He insisted on doing it alone but she would not let him. As he tried to send her away she clung to him what made it impossible for him to move. She only let go of him as he allowed her to help him. Kathrine certainly can be quite childish at times.

'' No. I brought you that candy from the kitchen. ''

'' What about cookies? You get another kiss if I get candy. Something sweet for something sweet. ''

'' You are a very curious creature, Kathrine Jones. '' She smiles at him.

'' Hey coming to curious you didn't teach me Tango yet. '' His smile drops instantly as he looks at her. He was hoping that she has forgotten about this. After the incident in the bathroom he tried to keep his mind from anything sensual but she is really probing his strength.

'' How about this, I show you the music I have on my phone and then use that music so that you can teach me without having to hum. '' She leans back with a self-assured grin and if he would not be this confused about what she said he would curse her for this glance.

'' Music… on your what? ''

'' Phone. The small thing I placed on your- OH MY GOD WHERE IS MY PHONE! '' He winces at her outburst. Like a lighting bolt she jumps from her chair, knocking it over while that and flees from the room. His mouth opens a little as he looks after her. Slowly, not sure if following would be a good idea, he walks after her to find her looking through the whole cave at the front. As soon as she hears him apporaching she turns to him faintly to yell at him before continuing in her trashing,

'' Erik, where's my phone! I can't find it! Where is it! Fuck! Fuck! F- '' As gentle as he can he urges her to face him and puts his hands onto her shoulders,

'' Kathrine! Calm down. '' Her eye is literally twitching at him, her voice high,

'' I am calm! Don't you see how calm I am?! I'm the bloody role-model of calm! '' She tries to move away from him but he keeps her still and leans close to her,

'' Kathrine, look at me. Breathe… Breathe… Good. Now tell me what you are looking for? ''

'' The small black thing I put onto your organ after switching it with the camera. You asked me what it is and I said I'll show you later. Erik I need to find it- ''

'' I have it. I did not know where to put it as you were sleeping. It is right there on the table. '' She barely looks at him another second before she storms to the table. As soon as she finds it she gives the longest, most released sigh Erik has ever heard in his life. He cannot help himself but smile at his little hurricane. How could he ever live without her before? Her chaotic behavior and her dry sense of humor do frustrate and irritate him but he cannot imagine having to live without this ever again. He could not bear it. If Kathrine would leave him, he would die.

* * *

Hours later they still lie in bed, the phone between them and softly playing music. Kathrine noted that she is impressed the 'battery' lasted this long. She taught him how to 'unlock' her phone and 'scroll' and 'select' the music. But as she told him that this little device is capable of going through each song itself he decided to let the thing act on its own. He cannot deny that he is extremely interested in this device. Kathrine lies on her side, her eyes closed and one hand curled to a soft fist before her face. Her head is placed on the other arm but she is not asleep. His eyes did move a few times over the curve her body has when she lies like that. It is almost like an 'S'. He lies on his stomach, his arms crossed under his head in comfort. The music that she has on her phone is, according to Kathrine, not even a small part of the collection of music that her world offers. While he cannot say that he likes everything she has in her collection, he certainly did find many extraordinarily beautiful pieces. Kathrine has so many beautiful things in her world. She accepted his face so easily and even told him about others with these 'defects'. He could not help himself but allow his mind to drift into phantasy. What would living in her world be like? What would it offer him? Could it offer him more than what he has here? Would Kathrine allow him in her life? The thought that she has to leave came to his mind a lot of times those past days. He does not want her to leave him. But he fears that it would be easy for someone like her to forget someone like him. Kathrine is kind, intelligent, beautiful and open in every way. She has the world at her feet. What could possibly hold her here? What could hold her with him?

* * *

Kat's eyes open faintly to smile at him. Erik was completely overwhelmed with the music on her phone. They spend roughly 6 hours just going through the music on her phone. As soon as it became clear that they would stay for a while, Erik brought both of them wine. Kat soon noticed that the alcohol had some influence on his behavior. At the beginning he sat rather neatly on the bed, a polite space between them. His back was straight, his legs crossed and his hands on his thighs. He looked very uncomfortable. As they emptied a bottle he slowly relaxed until he finally lay down next to her at her request. For a while they were staring at each other as the music played. Every time they came to a song he liked he told her very detailed about every little piece that he adores about this. If he didn't like a song he complained about the bad phrasing, the 'horrible noise that cannot possibly be called music'. She kicked him as he insulted Marilyn Manson's voice in 'This is Halloween'. The push almost caused him to drop his glass while he barely managed to keep himself on the bed. Not because he is drunk but because she pushed him rather hard. He did complain a lot about the 'horrible language' her world has, too. She laughed most of the time. Anaconda by Nicki Minaj did kinda throw him off the track after she explained what the song is about. Still, watching him and listening to him getting all excited about this was definitely one of the best things they did here so far. Of course she loved the 'dilemma' in the bathroom and the flirting. But being with him like this and listening to music she didn't hear for years now brings up an unknown feeling of content in her that she did not feel yet. She loves the time she spends with him here just as much as she enjoys just sitting in front of the fire. Kat knows she can't stay here forever but she can't bring herself to imagine the day where she has to say goodbye. But she can't live in this world. And she's not sure if he could live in hers.

Her lips turn into a gentle smile as he listens to the last song with something like shock.

 _Yes, there are Sailor Moon and other Anime songs on my phone. Swallow it Mozart._

'' Kathrine I think we are through. ''

'' I can't believe we spend hours lying here. '' She laughs. He smiles at her,

'' I did enjoy your music. I cannot say I like everything of it but the concept is… fascinating. Some of your taste is horrible, though. ''

'' Yo, driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cake-mouth. ''

'' I have no idea what that means. ''

'' Don't criticize the DJ. ''

'' That was no help. '' She shrugs and nudges his side,

'' So, you up for a dance? ''

'' You are very eager, my little hurricane. '' She smiles at the new nickname. He's thinking of her as a hurricane? His hurricane. She can't deny that she kind of likes that.

'' I am. You heard it, I have a lot of songs for that on my phone. ''

'' You do indeed. Which one did you have in mind? '' She scrolls back up to play El Gitano Del Amor by Latin Soul Syndicate.

'' That is spanish Salsa music, if I am correct. Not Tango. '' He informs her. She smirks,

'' Fine then we do Salsa. ''

'' Alright. '' Kat grabs her phone while both of them get off the bed. She gives him a self-assured glance and bumps her hip into his as they walk to the organ. There is more space there and the accoustic is probably better. Her phone is not that super loud but with the echo it could work.

'' I watched a lot of movies with that dance, I bet I'm better at it than at Waltz. ''

'' Well maybe you will only break my toes once or twice then. ''

'' Not cool. Was your fault anyway. ''

'' It was not. ''

'' Yes it was. ''

'' _You_ stepped on _my_ toes. ''

'' I did apologize. ''

'' It was on purpose, once. ''

'' You were mean. ''

'' I was not. ''

* * *

'' Pah. _Shut up and dance with me!_ '' He laughs, recognizing the song she just quoted. She commented that it is one of her favorite songs. Maybe he will dance with her to that song too. Of course it is not Salsa or Tango music but it is the perfect song to try something new. He cannot deny that he feels quite nervous at the moment. He did dance with her before, of course. And they definitively were closer than they should have been. But to that time she was certain he would never show himself to her. Things like that incident in the batroom were not even a possible danger to happen. Now Erik has her with him, she can see him and move closer to him. It is challenging, tempting. Especially if he thinks about how much actual touching this dance demands. Still, his confidence recieves a small push as Kathrine puts the phone onto his organ and turns on the music. Music was always something that could make him forget, even if it was just for a little while.

The next push is that attractive smirk of boldness. God, that smile. He has drawn her many times now and yet he feels like he did not capture one of the most tempting things about her. He will have to catch up on that, this time with her permission. He feels like he could sketch this certain smile out of his memory. Erik cannot help himself but chuckle as Kathrine closes her eyes as the music begins to hall through the cave. Her hands rise over her head, her hips swinging in both seduction and plain fun. He only watches her for a few more seconds before holding his hand out to her. Kathrine abruptly jumps down the small stairs to take his hand. He decides to use her swing to move their linked hands over his head and sweep her to the other side, turning both of them as they meet in the middle. They grin at each other a moment before he repeats the movement. Before she really stops, he pulls her against him, her body softly colliding into his. He instantly wraps his arm around her waist, the tight hold allows her to feel how trained her body really is. Of course, those terrible fights demand a certain level of strength. Her body is not slim, he saw the muscles before but they are cleverly hidden under amazing curves. Her hips are wide, her chest quite expansive what makes her waist look rather small. Her legs are well-rounded and firm. They stare into each others eyes and Erik feels that warm craving building up in him again. This time, though, it is not only that. His lips turn into a smile and for a moment he forgets that she has no practice in dancing this. Without saying anything he starts moving them forwards. To his surprise her body abruptly fluently follows his steps, not even missing one beat. Their hips move in complete harmony as he moves them forwards and backwards. He looks down at their feet and back at her eyes. He smirks, this little temptress tricked him. With their hands still linked he pushes her back so that their arms are fully stretched before pulling her back against him, turning her in her way. Her back presses comfortably against his chest as he moves both of them down, their bodies rubbing over each other, his lips on her neck. Slowly Erik's body is heating up. He takes a distance between them again, pushing her away. She lets go of his hand this time and quickly climbes the stairs to his organ. He follows her, the candles the only object between them,

'' You little vixen. '' She smiles at him with hooded eyes, a cheeky smirk on her lips,

'' Didn't I mention that I know a little Salsa? Ooops. '' The moment she is in his reach he takes her hand to spin her body until her back is on his arm and her hand holds his, their fingers entwined. Abruptly she allows her body to drop backwards against his arm, her leg seductively in the air before angling so that she has her foot next to her other upper leg that is holding her on the ground. He lifts her back up quickly and uses the speed to once more twirl both of them under their linked hands. The music changes into a alluring tone as soon as they're face to face and he uses the chance to push their hands over their hands, his face so close to hers that he can feel her breathe on his lips. While her hands stay over her head Erik moves closer, his nose brushing hers as he allows his hands to faintly touch her body. He notes the way she bites her lip, her eyes looking at him through her long lashes. Kathrine's body feels so warm against Erik's, his vision becomes a little blurry, everything around them seems to fade slowly until all he can focus on is her perfect body in his arms and the music that is leading them in the background. He quickly twirls her, pushes her away from him only to pull her close again, her back once more tightly pressed against his chest. Their hips moving against each other, her messy hair on his nose, his lips on her neck and his hand on her waist, his fingers curling around the fabric of her trousers. His trousers on her body. He gently rolls her out of his arms, loosing some of the abrupt movement as the music seems to come to an end anytime now. When he pulls her back against him she almost jumps into his arms, one of her leg draped up around his waist, the hand that he is not clasping in his almost digging into his shoulder. Their bodies are pressing against each other. Her lips are parted, revealing almost white teeth to him in a alluring look. The breathe that is ghosting over his lips is the last straw it needs for his mind to slowly go blank again.

The song ends in the background but he cannot say that he focuses on the music right now. His eyes stare deeply into her beautiful dark orbs and suddenly he cannot move. Both of them are breathig heavy from the heated dance, he can feel her chest rising and falling against his. He knows he should step away now and say something about her obvious knoweledge about this dance but he simply cannot step away. His eyes move to her lips as she licks over them almost teasingly. Is she teasing him? She did mention that she has a very flirtatious character, he did of course notice that too. But are her attempts of an honest nature or are they just to make fun of him? Could Kathrine actually be capable to find something, anything, desirable about him? No. Most certainly she could not. But something is holding her in place, something keeps her from running away from him. Something is going on in her mind that keeps her from running away from him. His face is exposed to her, the mask and wig still lie abandoned in the living room on the table. Their faces are so close and she does not seem to mind. And right now that is more than he can handle. He needs her to tell him to stop. If she does not tell him to stop he will move their lips closer and he cannot guarantee that he is strong enough to pull back this time.

'' Tell me to stop Kathrine… Please tell me you don't want this… I need you to tell me to stop…'' Her eyes move from his lips to his eyes. Are her eyes darker than usual? He shudders at her hot breathe on his lips. His arms tighten around her, pulling her body close against his. God he can feel her breasts pressing against his chest.

'' I want this… I want this so much, don't stop…'' He groans, his eyes closing. She must be fooling with him. She can see him completely and vulnerable. There is simply no way that she could want this. Why can she not just stop her games? He knows that she is playing and yet he brings their faces closer. Their lips are ghosting over each other,

'' Erik…'' She sighs, her eyes closing as she allows him to brush their lips against each other tenderly. Then he realizes what is happening and before she can stop him he runs from her again like he did in the bathroom. This time he uses the secret passing through the mirror to run as far away from her as he can.

* * *

Kat looks after him with her mouth wide open. Mouthing a 'the fuck' to herself she opens her arms.

'' So close, damn...'' Cursing under her breathe she crosses her arms with a sigh. He was about to kiss her, she knows he was. Their lips were touching, they were fucking touching and he moves away in another fit of panic. He can tell her that he loves her on every occasion he gets but he can't kiss her. Either he's not letting go of her or he refuses to touch her completely. Why is there no healthy middle. And if he can't keep his hands off her, why does it have to end this soon? Yes she didn't tell him that she knows Salsa but only because she didn't exactly want to tell him that she learned from a client while her brief time as an Escort. The guy was really cute, good looking, charming and a teacher for Salsa. He wanted a girlfriend for a weekend, she offered that. But how do you tell that to someone who's lietrally jealousy on legs? Maybe a fit of jealousy would break the ice, though. This happens sometimes. People get jealous and from jealous they get possessive. A little possessive wouldn't be wrong right now. She sighs. That heat in her is back and this time there's no bathtube around her. How can someone have such an immense effect on her. Even though, she has the same effect on him. That insecurity of his is probably the only thing standing between them. At least it's the only bad thing _standing_ between them. It's not that she only wants to sleep with him and be done with it then. She wants him to realize that she really cares for him, that his face is absolutely no problem for her. Because it isn't. She's not disgusted or turned off by it. She learned to know and started to like him before she even saw him or touched him. His face can't change that, not even if she would mind a deformation. Her eyes move to the calm water, it's surface pleasently illuminated by the candles burning around her. She wonders how many candles he's using over the year. Must be millions.

* * *

Erik returns as soon as he feels that at least some of his control is back. She told him she wanted it but he just cannot believe her. After all those years of hiding, all those years he spent alone with his self-loath and his pain where every bit of memory he had was the abuse he had to know in his early childhood the thought that someone like Kathrine could actually want him, care for him, is impossible. Kathrine is everything he is not, what could she possibly see in him? Whatever that game she is playing at is to her, he can't allow himself to fall into her charm any more.

'' Kathrine? Kathrine are you- '' He abruptly breaks off as he sees Kathrine floating on the water, her limps stretched from her, her eyes closed and her face completely beneathe the surface. His eyes widen, his mind goes blank and a terrifying, heartbreaking fear fills every fiber in his body. He can barely hear himself screaming over the sound of his heart beating in his ears and his pulse rushing through his veins as he abruplty runs into the water to pull her out. The same moment his hands make contact with her body, Kathrine's eyes open and she screams, her hand colliding with his cheek as she jumps away. While Erik covers his aching cheek with his hand, Kathrine and him stare at each other, both breathing heavy and both with eyes wide with shock,

'' What the hell is wrong with you!? You scared the shit out of me! I thought we talked about my fucked up instincts! ''

'' What in god's name were you thinking?! You frightened me! I thought you drowned! '' They both scream at each other at the same time. Kat sits up on her knees, her hands curled to fists in front of her chest while Erik kneels on one knee before her, one hand on his upper leg, the other in the water.

'' I was just floating! Floating! Not drowning! My nose was above water! I could breathe! I thought- '' He cuts her off by reaching out for her and pulling her firmly against his chest, his mouth pressing a kiss to the top of her head while both his arms wrap tightly around her back, the adrenaline still running through his veins but the fear slowly fading. A sick feeling spreads in his whole body as he feels tears burning in his eyes as he clutches the younger woman tightly in his arms who grew deadly still. He can feel her breathing hevaily against him and right now he doesn't think about that this could be because of his touch. Right now all he feels is such immense release that she's alive. That she is not dead, that she did not kill herself.

'' Never scare me like this again Kathrine! I thought I lost you! I thought _I_ drove you into this! Oh god, Kathrine… My Kathrine…! '' The thought that his advances could have been the reason for her final attempt to get away from him scares him more than anything else. If he had chased her into her death with his closeness he could never forgive himself. He would not know what he would do to himself if she would be dead in his arms now instead of alive.

* * *

Kat wants to argue, she wants to tell him to back off and yell at him to stop being so dramatic. As if she would ever kill herself, especially not for something so stupid. But the words never come. As soon as she feels how furiously he starts to tremble and how his breathing changes into an erratic sobbing she can't bring herself to yell or scold. She just tried to gain back some control, she didn't want to scare him. She didn't think much about it. Water's always been a place she loved to just be in. To float. The feeling of her body being weightless, the sound of the water in her ears And yet she should have seen it coming. He has his outbursts but most of the time all he wants is to keep her safe, to treat her like she's made of glass. She should have known that this could lead to a disaster. She just didn't think this far. No one in Kat's world is like Erik. The abuse and the lack of friendship and love in his life not only cause the paranoid agression issues and the inecurity, it also made him so very afraid to lose the only person that ever cared for him. And she can't even take it bad on him. Not like she wants to. His stubborn way of galantly ignoring her attempts to tell him that there is nothing disgusting about him do annoy the hell out of her but at the same time she can't really bring herself to loathe him for it. She can imagine that he was badly abused and if he spent his life here since he's 9 then he never had the chance to learn anything of interpersonal relationships. Depends on how bad his abuse was it will be hard to convince him otherwise. The fact that he so openly shows his face to her is already a big victory. He accepted her request to leave it off pretty peacefully. But that he now thinks she would kill herself just because he almost kissed her? How can his mind even begin to form those connections? How can she tell him how much she wants him, how deeply she cares for him that he believes her? How can she do so without having to confront herself with the fact that she might actually be in love with him?

''...I'm sorry… I really didn't mean to scare you. '' His grip on her tightens, as if he wants to make sure she can't disappear. That no one can take her away. She frees her arms and wraps them around his torso as far as she can, her face hiding in his shoulder, his pulse beating furiously under her lips,

'' I'm so sorry Erik…'' His body jerks as he can't hold the sobbing back any longer. How often did she apologize by now in that short time she's been here? She lost count. But strange enough she's not growing tired of it, not as long as it calms him. Not as long as it helps him. She will apologize time and time again for the mistakes she will most defintively make in near future. Because there never was someone like him before in her life. All this is compeltely new to her. And to be honest it's scaring her a little. The feelings she definitively has for him and that emotional incapability to act on them or say them out loud is making this whole mess more complicated than it has to be. And she knows that. But what can she do against it? Not even her feelings for this man can just change the fear in her. Not over night. The time he needs to realize that she's not disgusted by his face she needs to come to terms that those feelings might not be as bad as she thinks.

Right now though, where he is not demanding her to tell him about her feelings, she will do everything she can to make him see how wonderful he is, how brilliant. She will fight for him no matter what.

'' I told you about the movies I have on that USB stick, right? '' They got out of the water as soon as he calmed and both of them changed their cloths. Erik even sneaked up into her room to grab her sleeping cloths off her bed, leaving another note for Holly from Kat saying that she still is fine. He was clearly amused by her Bugs Bunny pants and her Batman shirt. She told him they would have to read a couple of Batman comics too, next to Spider-Man and Deadpool. Even though Deadpool will probably throw him off a little. Right now they both sit on the bed again, their fingers entwined as Kat has her other arm wrapped around his waist while her head is on his shoulder. His head soon lowered onto hers.

'' You did. '' His voice is rough, hurt and tired. Kat smiles softly at him,

'' Wanna see what that is? I think this is a Lilo and Stitch moment. You're gonna like that one. It's animated, that means everything is sketched and the drawings are moving with the help of computers. If you're still up for it we can watch Mary Popins later on. It's kind of a Musical. Disney is the best to cure a heavy heart, trust me. '' He looks at her, curiosity clearly showing in his tired eyes as he nods. She explains the basic about how a movie works and both of them lie down.

* * *

'' Erik, are you crying? '' She asks as the movie is at the point where Cobra Bobo takes Lilo away and Nani tries to stop him. Erik almost glares at her,

'' Not everyone can be as heartless as you. '' Her mouth drops open,

'' Wow. You asshole. ''

* * *

Erik was visibly in love with the happy-ending and Kat smiled at his childish excitement. They watched Mary Poppins later on, he liked that one too. This is the first night Erik retired to the couch with her still being awake. She offered him to stay with her but he declined and soon left. He looked better. A lot so. But Kat knows better than to trust a smiling face…

* * *

That night she wakes up to the sound of a mirror shattering and a broken scream of anger and pain halling through the cave. Her eyes widen in panic as she jumps out of bed and runs to the door,

'' Erik?! '' The moment she rounds the corner she sees Erik hunching on the ground, his face in his hands. His body violently shaking. Kat can't say for sure if it's anger or something else. He almost looks like he's in pain.

'' Erik… What happened? '' She keeps her voice as soft as she can. Her feet feel heavy, should she approach? She noticed that he always wakes up before her and she also felt him twitching under her when they fell asleep together. The idea that he's sufferig from nightmares came pretty quick to her which is why she was so persistent that he stays with her. On the couch it seemed to calm him when she snuggled closer and whispered to him.

 _'' It's okay… you're safe… we're safe… I'm with you… it's okay… you're not alone…''_

Carefully she walks closer to him, her hands risen before her body. Right now she has no idea what is happening. He was not completely fine as he left but he felt a lot better.

'' Go back to bed Kathrine. '' She winces at the stern sound in his voice but kneels besides him anyways. With every ounce of gentleness she possesses Kat puts one hand on his arm while turning his face to her with the other,

'' I'm not just going to leave you here. Erik… tell me what happened… What's wrong- ''

'' I said _leave_! '' He grabs her wrists tight enough to bruise them. She gasps and forces down the instinct to free herself. She could. Easily. But she doesn't want to. Not right now. His eyes widen as he realizes that he's hurting her and his hands instantly drop. Her eyes are wide and filled with tears. She saw pain and hatred in his eyes before but it was never this bad. This time it's her who feels herself about to cry any moment. Why is there always so much pain around them? Why can't they enjoy just one day where everything goes without a fight or a break down? He jumps to his feet, startled at her tears.

'' Kathrine… -Do not follow me. '' Kat's vision is blurry, her lips parted as she tries to calm her breathing while he quickly rushes past her until she can hear him disappearing in the living room. She remains on the ground, looking at the space before her without focusing on anything. Should she go after him? Should she stay here and leave him some space? He was alone all his life, can space really be what he needs right now? Will her attempt to calm him just make everything worse? She shakes her head and wipes her face, trying to get rid of the tears. She sneaks into the living room to find him sitting on the couch, his face in his hands and his elboes on his knees. Her eyes narrow, the thought to turn around plays in her mind. But she can't. She can't turn her back to him and go. She can't, not even if she wanted to. Instead she kneels down before him and softly puts her hands over his. He flinches but keeps his face hidden from her.

'' I told you to leave me alone. ''

'' You did… but I don't think you really want to be alone. ''

'' I do. ''

'' Look me in the eyes and tell me you want me to go. '' Slowly his face comes out of its hiding place. For a moment she fears that coming after him was the wrong decision after all. He looks at her in silence for a long time. His mouth opens many times to tell her to leave him alone but the words never leave his lips. She offers a warm, sympathic smile, her hands cupping his cheeks,

'' Come to bed with me. '' As she sees the wish to argue she takes his hands and pulls him to his feet. He gives small words of protest but in the end he allows her to tug him along until she gently forces him to lie down. The dimmed light of the single candle that always burns next to her bed is barely enough for her to see his face. She tugs both of them under the blanket and wraps then his arms around her before mirroring the gesture with her own ones. He doesn't tighten his grip on her, doesn't pull her close. His arms are completely limp. Kat sighs,

'' Erik… please tell me what happened…'' He huffs, his voice bitter,

'' It was nothing. Just… just a naive dream. It should not bother you. I should not be such an emotional weakling about it. I am embarassing myself. ''

'' You had a nightmare? ''

'' No. ''

''…But why is it so bad then? What was your dream about? '' For a long while he doesn't answer her. Kat knows that he might be very sentimental but he's also quite proud. Stubborn.

'' I dreamed that… my 'defect' is gone. I dreamed that I could offer you the life I want to offer you. I dreamed that I could live a normal life… with you…''

'' And then you looked into the mirror and realized it was just a dream. '' She concludes slowly, her voice careful.

'' How can you stay with me if you know that I could never come to the surface with you? What holds you here with me? ''

 _Say 'I care for you'. Say it. Say it! …Say it!_

'' Is it a game? Are you playing with me? Am I… an occupation? A meaningless way of passing your time while your stay? '' She winces at the pain in his voice. The pain he feels because she can't answer him. She tightens her hold on him and buries her face in his chest, hoping he can't feel her silent tears of self-blame and anger and fear that makes her throat tight. This could be so easy. It's just a few words.

'' You are… so much more to me than just a game…''

 _Congratulations, this is how you mess up big time you stupid bitch._


	10. Chapter 9 - Wandering Child So Lost

**Chapter 9:** Wandering Child So Lost, So Helpless

 **\- Day 4 -**

When Erik wakes up the first thing he notices is the weight on his chest. As soon as he realizes what the reason for this unusual feeling is, his body jerks in shock and his eyes widen. Kathrine shifted in her sleep so that almost all of her body is now on top of his. Her leg and arm are draped across him to push herself as close as possible to him. As if he were nothing more but a simple teddy. Her head is on his chest, her ear right over his heart. He can feel her short hair tickling his skin each time they move when one of them breathes. For a while he just watches her sleep. Her words were no answer to his question, they did not confirm that he is in fact more to her than a simple game but neither were they a complete rejection and right now that is all he needs to find new hope. Hope that perhaps there is something in her that can love him after all.

The only real thorn left in his eye at this time is that scholar. He was in her dressing room and in her bedroom. He tries to find her even though the Phantom strictly forbid him to do so. Maybe he needs another letter to remember his place. For Kathrine's sake he will not hurt the man yet. But should he become a serious threat, Erik will not hesitate to eliminate him.

''…Kathrine…'' Erik argued with himself if and how he should wake her. Perhaps it might be for the best to wait for her to wake up on her own. But it is past 1 already and Erik is convinced that she would sleep through the whole day if he allows her to. Of course it is easy to confuse day and night by the lack of sunlight in his dungeons but she cannot carry on like that. At some point she will not sleep at night any longer and he can only begin to imagine what kind of pranks she might play on him should she be wide awake while he himself is sleeping. He really can't take this risk.

'' Kathrine, wake up. '' As something hard pokes her arm, Kathrine jumps back with a scream similar to the one he heard before. Erik watches how her instinct causes her to lash out but her claws do not make any contact to a possible target so she takes more distance and looks around with wide, tired eyes. The quick movements this soon after she got up must have left her disoriented and perhaps even a little dizzy. As soon as her eyes stop on him it appears she needs a few seconds to properly recognize him. Kathrine's breathing is extremely heavy and slowly the confused glance changes into a bloodthirsty glare. He expected anger but right now she could easily kill him with her eyes.

'' What the fuck is wrong with you! ''

'' I did not dare to come close to you after yesterday. ''

'' And then you poke me with, what's that -a _broomstick_?! Are you kidding me! '' She pushes the stick roughly off the bed. Erik only looks after it for a second, a guilty smile on his lips. It was the first thing he found that would offer enough space between them to make it impossible for her to reach him. He could slip out form her embrace easily this morning but he still feared her wrath the moment she wakes up. Which was, how it turns out, a justified thought.

'' It is past 1 in the evening Kathrine- ''

'' And why's that my problem!? It's frikkin Sunday! ''

''…It is Thursday. ''

'' I'm on vacation, every day's a Sunday. Leave me alone! ''

'' I really think you should- ''

'' Get the fuck out! '' Suddenly she jumps to the edge of the bed in such a high a speed that he fears she might throw herself at him to attack. She didn't even finish her sentence as he already fled from the room. He only stops running as he's in front of his organ and quickly turns to make sure she did not follow him. He breathes out relaxed as he finds himself alone. There is no denying the fact that she has something on her that can scare him to death. Despite her usual loveliness, there is a bit of a beast in her. And that beast is nothing he would want in a bad mood with him. His eyes fall on his organ. He did plan to make breakfast for both of them again and invite her for another music lesson after. Right now, when she is not willing to get up, he would like to play but the thought that it could anger her stops him. He sits down on his chair and looks at his beloved instrument. Should he simply try his luck or would it be better to ask Kathrine? He sighs.

'' Kathrine, my dear… Would you mind if I play my organ? '' He watches how one of her eyes opens slightly to glare at him. A shudder runs down his back and without noticing he hides a little further behind the corner, fearing she might make up to her words from yesterday and throw something at him.

'' I will wait for you to wake up. '' She closes her eye again and sighs,

'' No... 's okay. Go on. ''

'' Are you sure? I could- '' Her eye faintly opens again so that he nods quickly,

'' Thank you. ''

It takes half an hour before Kat gets out of bed. She's not exactly awake but she thought that after snapping at her Phantom like that she should slowly but surely go take a look at what he's doing. Right now she stops herself from thinking back to last night. One thing, however, she will make sure of from now on: He will not sleep alone again. From now on she will make him sleep next to her every single night. She was right about the nightmares and that they're getting better once she pulls him closer and whispers to him. He slept through the whole night after she got him into the bed next to her. At least she didn't wake up because he was visibly having one this time. That's at least a start. Kat spots him still on his organ, still playing. His eyes are closed, he's completely in his world again. She smiles as she recognizes the song. A Thousand Years by Christina Perri. It was very obvious that this is one of Erik's favorites in her list. He liked the singer's soft voice and Kat thinks that Erik can build some personal connection to the song. But he doesn't sing the lyrics. Instead he plays through the piano part and starts then from new again. Silently she walks up to him from behind, her feet making no noise on the stone floor.

'' _The day we met… Frozen I held my breath. Right from the start, I knew that I'd found a home for my heart… Heart beats fast… Colors and promises. How to be brave._ _H_ _ow can I love when I'm afraid_ _t_ _o fall_ _?_ _But watching you stand alone… All of my doubt_ _s_ _uddenly goes away somehow…_ _One step closer._ '' He doesn't miss a single beat as she joins into his playing. She never thought that she would ever hear him playing anything from her world. It's… interesting. Kat wraps her arms around his neck loosely, her hands touching in front of his chest, her mouth close to his ear,

'' _I have died every day waiting for you. Darlin_ _g_ _don't be afraid I have loved you for a_ _t_ _housand years… I'll love you for a_ _t_ _housand more…_ '' He slows down again as they reach roughly the middle. Instead of starting from new or completely breaking off, he suddenly plays another song. A slower one that Kat recognizes almost instantly. Saturn by Sleeping At Last. To her surprise he gets through the whole intro without missing a single note even though it takes roughly 3 minutes. She waits for any sign of him to tell her to either sing or stay quiet. His eyes faintly move to her and she nods, her face hiding in his neck a moment, waiting for her cue,

'' _You taught me the courage of stars, before you left. How light carries on endlessly… even after death. With shortness of breathe you explain the infinite…_ '' She watches how his eyes fall close again, his fingers continuing to dance over the keys. He's completely relaxed right now.

'' _How rare and beautiful it is to even exist. I couldn't help but ask for you to say it all again. I tried to write it down but I could never find a pen. I'd give anything to hear you say it one more time. That the universe was made just to be seen by my eyes._ '' Her arms tighten their grip on him a little as she feels the small tremor running through his body. It was just a quick flash and she doesn't even know if it was a bad or a good one but that doesn't stop her from nuzzling her nose against his cheek gently. The urge to keep her arms around him didn't fade since last night. He really gave her quite the shock there but until now she hadn't really had the time to think about it this thoroughly. Right now though, where he's so completely fine by himself, she realizes how deep that still sits in her bones. Kat only hopes he didn't get her answer wrong.

They finish the song. Kat tries her best to keep every note exactly like it should be but she realized that the more she's singing with him, the easier this whole thing becomes for her. She always loved singing, she always wanted to take lessons. But getting a teacher that listens to her screeching? No thanks. Here she was pushed into this. Not that she would mind now. She doesn't. Not a bit. This 'casting' was one of the best things that could have happened to her. She met Erik through that. Who knows if anything would have led to them being here in his home now if Carlotta hadn't left. She's not sure he would have noticed her if she would have been just another nameless face in the crowd. She wouldn't have noticed herself in his position.

For now she's happy. Relaxed. Despite the fact that she hasn't had her pills for 4 days now she's calm, collected. Of course she has her small outbursts but it could be a whole lot worse. Maybe it's because she tries to take care of him, perhaps it's because his presence is somehow helping her a little. It's not this stupid wanna-be fairytale that his love his enough to cure her from her mental illnesses. You are not suddenly swept off your feet by your prince charming and everything becomes fine. But like Holly, Erik is one of the people that have something about them that helps her to deal with her problems. Spending time with them, talking to them, fooling around with them, that's more of a help than her pills are. She still needs them, of course. They keep the Episodes off her back most of the time. But right now? Right now she's so relaxed she could stand behind him like this for hours without feeling drained from the constant touch.

'' Are you rested? '' He asks as soon as he stopped playing. She sighs. When he turns she thinks about sitting down on his lap but she's too tired to deal with a stroke so she straightens her back instead.

'' Not really. 'm still tired. ''

'' Forgive me…''

'' 's not your fault, don't beat yourself up over everything. C'mon! I'm hungry, let's eat something. Except you ate already? ''

'' No, I waited for you to rise. '' She smirks,

'' Well your kitten's up. Let's go get food or I might start chewing on you. '' She presses a playful kiss to his deformed cheek and quickly grabs his hand to pull him after her into the kitchen. Erik stops her in the bedroom and tells her to go into the living room already because he has something else for them today. She arches an eyebrow at him but does what he says and waits in the living room. As he takes longer than 10 minutes she jumps onto the table, one leg crossing over the other.

 _What's he doing?_

Kat looks up from her nails as she hears him coming back. He carries a tray in his hands with what looks like a typical french meal.

'' This is baked Camembert, completely vegetarian. For dessert I have prepared Buckwheat Crepes filled with fresh apples that are glazed with caramel. Vegetarian too. I have no wine but a rather expensive grape juice which also does not contain any animal. '' She cocks her head to the side,

'' _You_ made that? '' His self-assured grin slowly drops, his voice turning into a slightly embarrassed murmur that she looked through his charade,

''…Madam did. '' Kat bursts out into laughter.

'' I did help! ''

'' 's fine handsome. I'm proud of you. '' She kisses his cheek again and sees that, while he still blushes like a schoolgirl, there is barely shock in his eyes at her gesture of affection. She smiles to herself and helps him with putting everything on the table.

'' I would say I return the favor but I'm a hopeless case in the kitchen. I tried to bake a cake for my mom to her birthday… and ended up calling the fire department 'cause the kitchen was burning. '' This time he's the one that starts laughing. They both sit. Erik rises an eyebrow at her,

'' Thank you for that warning. I will never let you into the kitchen, then. ''

'' I got better! I can bake cakes now. I was really small as that happened. ''

'' How old were you? ''

''…17. '' He laughs, eyebrow furrowed in mock,

'' Kathrine that is, what, 4 years ago? ''

'' 3… -I really got better though! ''

'' Forgive me for my incredulity but I will never let you anywhere near a kitchen until you have proven that to me. ''

'' Fine with me. That means I get food without having to move a finger. '' He laughs. She kicks his leg,

'' I live alone for 2 years now. I had to learn it or I would have starved. ''

'' And how often in those two years were you _really_ cooking? ''

'' A lot! ...Sometimes… -I mostly ordered something or went to my mom, okay! Bite me. ''

'' Why would I- '' He breaks off as she gives him a look and clears his throat,

'' So you do visit your mother a lot, yes? Are you close? '' Kat smiles,

'' Yeah a lot so. Her, my Abuela and my Gramps live in the same house. ''

'' Abuela? ''

'' My mom's half Spanish. My Abuela met my Gramps while studying and decided to stay with him in London. ''

'' That does explain your temper. ''

'' You're the one to talk. '' His smiles only becomes more pleased, his eyes softer as he looks down at the glass in his hand,

'' I like your temper. It is… very charming. '' His eyes move back up to her. She avoids the loving look in them as she feels her heart fluttering and quickly takes a sip of her own juice,

'' Wait till I yell at you in Spanish. I can keep that down most of the time but sometimes I slip back into that. Especially if I drink. My Abuela and my mom are yelling at each other a lot even if they aren't fighting. They say that yelling at each other is a good way to get rid of the tension in you so that you don't fight over little things. ''

'' So they are fighting rarely then? '' Kat bursts out into laughter,

'' No they're fighting every day cause of every bullshit! '' Erik joins into the laughter.

'' And why is your father not with you? '' Kat's eyes get a sad shadow over them as she stares at the juice, twirling the glass between her fingers,

'' My parents divorced as I was 12 and dad moved to New York. ''

'' I am sorry…''

'' It's fine. They loved each other, really did, but they couldn't live with each other. Not like that. They're still good friends though. It's not that he's dead. I do visit him sometimes even though it's not a lot. He never forgets my birthday or anything else that is important for me or my family. And last Christmas he came by for dinner. He's got a new girlfriend for a little over a year now. Vanessa. She's nice. She was with him too on Christmas. Mom and her like each other even though they talk about stuff dad and I _both_ don't want them to. '' Erik listened to everything with a soft smile on his lips,

'' Your family sounds wonderful. ''

'' They are. Y'know… little strange, little loud, little annoying but… really kind. You would like them. ''

'' I am sure of that. '' They smile at each other.

They sit for hours on the table, the bottle of juice long gone but neither of them feeling the need to really get up. Erik asked more questions about Kat's family and the common life in her world and she was more than glad to tell him everything she could. Both of them were laughing a lot. Erik couldn't share many things but he had a nice story or two. Both included Madam Giry and her attempt to teach him to take care of himself without locking himself away like he does. Kat never dug any deeper than what he was willing to share. They didn't fight, they didn't talk about uncomfortable topics or accidentally triggered something. It was a wonderful evening, maybe the best they have had yet.

After cleaning the dishes Erik declared he will have a quick conversation with Madam about the current events that are going on in his Opera. He was so busy with his little hurricane that he completely forgot about his duties. Madam informed him that Carlotta did not return yet for what he was more than grateful. To make sure it stays that way he made sure there will be a letter delivered to her as soon as possible. His managers are more dedicated to ask Kathrine for another performance than ever and the other young adults of Kathrine's class seemed to be more than willing to not get involved in anything that is none of their business. Holly is also very eager to keep everyone calm. She is still visibly worried but the two letters of Kathrine did calm greatly. The only taint his perfect picture still has is that troublesome scholar of Kathrine. He did not give up yet and Madam even mentioned that he was about ready to visit the police station. Had it not been for Holly and Kathrine's class there could be officers in his Opera already. He pushed the matter too far, there is no avoiding it anymore. He will send the scholar a note. Should he not stop bothering them, there will be consequences for him.

When he returns he soon finds Kathrine holding one of his sculptures in her hands to examine it curiously.

'' Kathrine please don't- '' She yelps at his voice and moments later Erik flinches at the sound of something breaking on the ground. While Kathrine's expression is almost enough to make him forget about the noise, the meaning behind that expression makes him fear to look down even though he already knows what he will find.

''…Oops…''

'' -touch that…'' With a guilty smile and a nervous chuckle she gets to her knees to pick up the broken pieces of the sculpture. Slowly but surely he feels that stroke forming in him. He made those sculptures a long time ago. Each of them shows another part of his curse and each of them is quite important to him by now.

'' I uh… I'm sure I can fix- ''

'' Just put it down. '' He tries his best to stay patient with her. He really does.

'' I really think I can- ''

'' Put it down! '' She instantly drops the pieces in her hands and lifts her arms over her head, her eyes wide. With a glare directed at her, Erik kneels down to pick everything up without causing even more damage. She watches him without speaking up. He cannot deny that the silence is good for him to calm his temper, to gain back his control.

'' Anyone ever told you that you're really sexy when you're angry? '' He stops in his movements before once more glaring up to her,

'' If this is any attempt to lighten my mood, it is not working. ''

'' I'm serious! '' She almost laughs at him. The anger in the back of his mind and the blunt words Kathrine used so careless also bring back the dark shadows of doubt. Calmly Erik places the shards on the table. He will just repair it later.

'' I am still not sure what you are playing at with your behavior. '' Suddenly she looks hurt. Hurt by his words. Did he catch her in her lie after all?

'' I told you I'm not playing. ''

'' Then what is it that you are doing? Pitying the monster before you leave? Are you trying to be especially generous before you go and never return? ''

'' You're _not_ a monster, Erik. '' He can see the first signs of the upcoming storm in her eyes but he can't stop himself. She brought this upon them. Kathrine wormed her way into his heart at first with her voice and then lastly with her behavior. Hadn't she asked him to show himself, they would not be in this position. He points at the monstrous part of his face,

'' Kathrine, whatever you think the reason for this is… I know what I am. I have been told so a lot of times by many… _many_ people. I cannot thank you more for your attempt to stare at this abnormal beast for this long. But for the sake of your purity I think it would be best for you to just let me wear my mask again. '' As quickly as the anger came up in her eyes it disappears. Suddenly she looks confused,

'' Purity? …Erik when you look at me, what do you see then? ''

'' …I do not understand your question. Kathrine please- ''

Kat shakes her head and closes the gap between them, her hands on his cheeks to make sure he's giving her his full attention,

'' I'm _not_ an angel. I'm not some miracle either. I'm not pure and I'm not holy and I wasn't send here by whatever god you believe in to rescue you. I'm just… just some girl with _lots_ of issues. I've got some… very unpleasant mental health problems, I do drugs, I fight and I _have_ sex quite frequently. I don't want to ruin anything for you, I really _really_ don't. But I'm not your savior…'' Her voice is quivering a little, her shoulders faintly shaking. The whole time she's here Erik has been the perfect gentlemen. Except for the parts where he's totally lost it but she's gonna push that aside for now. It's not like she wants to pop his pink little bubble if he's obviously so comfortable in it but if he really keeps thinking of her that way he'll get hurt.

But the comprehension on Erik's face does not replace the adoration in them and Kat can feel her hands starting to shake. She almost winces as Erik suddenly cups her cheeks,

'' You are… the most wonderful and the most beautiful _human_ _being_ that has ever seen the light of the world. No, I do not think of you as a godly warrior or an unearthly ghost. I am not captured in a dream-state that makes me see you as a perfect, flawless being that was sent here solely for the reason to save me from my suffering. '' Kat grits her teeth.

 _Please…_

'' But… to me… you are everything I could ever have been hoping for. More than I ever dreamed of. Your music does not only speak to my mind and heart… it consumed my soul. At first I was certain that your voice is the only thing I love you for. Music was the only thing I ever could feel love for. But now I know how foolish that thought was of me. There is so much more to you than your voice, as marvelous as it is. When I look at you I see… I see someone who is, despite her own pain, always kind and understanding. ''

 _Don't…_

'' Can you not understand that my intention is not to send you away but to protect you by hiding my face? I never thought I would be capable to love someone as I love you. There is nothing that I would not do for you. I love you so much, Kathrine, without you… there is nothing in this world for me. I could not survive without you. You are my oxygen, my lifeblood, my music, my inspiration…'' Kat's breathing in flat, quick breaths. She didn't expect that, she didn't want that. This wasn't supposed to happen. She could deal with him casually mentioning that he loves her every 5 minutes but this? Telling her he loves her with all her flaws? This is too much. Too much. She has to go, take distance to him and this place. If she finds Nathan he might agree to let her sleep in some motel outside of this town. Doesn't matter where as long as it's far away from Erik.

As she feels tears of panic in her eyes she quickly steps back. Even if she could think of something to say, her throat is getting too tight for her to just breathe and her head is spinning. Panic is making her vision blurry and forces her to open her mouth just so that she can somewhat breathe. She's shaking furiously.

Like he did so many times before Kat turns on her heels and runs. She runs into the living room and hides behind the sofa like a scared child that was beaten by her parent. But honestly, right now she would prefer being beaten.

A heavy sob forces itself from her lungs and causes her whole body to jerk. The tears that were stinging in her eyes finally fall so that all she can do right now is hug herself tightly and wait for the panic-attack to fade. The Valium that is still in her bag comes to her mind but to reach it she'd have to get up and that's just not possible...

'' Kathrine? May I… may I enter? ''

'' It's your home. '' Her voice barely reaches him. Erik soon finds Kathrine crouching in front of the sofa, her legs pressed to her chest, her arms wrapped around them and her face hiding in her knees. As he stops behind the sofa he can see that not all of her face is hidden. She's peering at the dark fireplace before her with red, puffy eyes.

After she run from him he waited. Waited for her to either return or for any noise to reach him that she run back to the surface. To her friends and that scholar. He waited for his own raging mind to finally settle enough to decide what he should do next. He waited for what felt like hours even though it wasn't even one.

Instead of approaching her, Erik chooses to keep a respectful distance between them by standing behind the sofa. While Kathrine helped him by not granting him this privacy, Erik can't say for sure that him being as persistent would help her too.

'' Do you want to be alone? ''

''...No. '' Slowly he walks around the sofa to stand next to her, his arms loosely at his sides. What he is about to do will hurt him more than anything else ever could but he cannot force her to stay with him any longer. He has to let her go.

'' …I want to apologize. ''

'' What? ''

'' It was not right to say… what I said. I understand that you could never bring yourself to love me. It was unfair of me to put you into this situation. '' After wiping her face with her hands briefly, Kathrine turns her head to look up at him,

'' I wanted to know what you think of me. You only answered my question. ''

'' No. I used the opportunity to try to manipulate you into loving me. But I know that this is not possible. I know you could never love me, not even if you tried. I don't blame you for that. For that I have decided to bring you back. I will let you go. '' Suddenly her eyes widen. Kathrine jumps to her feet, her body swaying slightly from the previous panic-attack. With almost the same exact expression she had as he wanted to send her away the first time, her mouth opens. But this time the words never leave her lips. Suddenly her eyes grow dull and hurt,

'' Erik… Trust me… that you let me go is the last thing I want… It's just… I don't _do_ love. I never did. I mean… When you read a book and you _know_ the character is running right up to the monster that will eat him you _know_ he has to stay away. When you _know_ that the food he's about to eat is poison you _know_ he shouldn't eat it… _I_ _have_ _seen_ my own mother falling into strong depression and almost starving herself to death after the divorce from my dad even though they decided to stay friends from the beginning on. And I _knew_ her reaction was completely illogical. _I knew it_. She knew it too but that didn't stop her from feeling the way she did. '' She stops a moment as her voice breaks. Erik's eyes narrow as he watches how Kathrine shakes her head, her voice getting a defeated tone,

'' So… when you enter a relationship of which you know that it will most definitively destroy you… you _know_ you have to _run_ … Of course you get over that last relationship and soon you'll find someone else that you can fall in love with but…'' A tear falls from her eye as she shakes her head. For the first time Erik feels like Kathrine is really allowing him in by baring her soul to him,

'' Erik… To love me means loving a haunted house… It's fun to ring the doorbell once or twice and run off but living there will most definitively kill you. And you… You have the hardest case of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that I have ever heard about, so how do you think this could _ever_ work out in any way? I _permanently_ run the risk to enter an Episode, these pills I have are the only thing keeping me out of the psyche ward. …And this _'_ _love_ _'_ will not cure us or-or magically keep us together! Just think about everything you've done those past days and then imagine what happens when this is over! And I already have people I love and every morning when I wake up I know I could loose them in the blink of an eye! But they're my family! I didn't pick them like you pick someone for a relationship! They were in my life before I could even begin to realize everything that is going on! At least with a relationship I get the chance to _decide_ if I want to love someone…'' Erik stares at her with his eyes wide and his thoughts forming into a single chaos in his head. Is it possible that Kathrine really does love him? Everything that has happened between them, everything she said that he brushed off as jokes, was all of that perhaps the truth after all? And the reason for her politely avoiding this subject is the fear inside of her? Can it really be possible that this proud, confident woman before him wakes up each morning with the fear that her loved ones could be brutally taken from her?

Erik does not know how to react, what to say, what to think. There is that side in him that wants to feel overjoyed because she just told him that she might actually return his feeling. But seeing her trembling this furiously and the immense pain in her eyes hold that joy back. Kathrine always seemed so happy and full of life, it was so easy for him to make her smile in the past days. How can someone who appears so strong be so fragile? He was so focused on his own troubles that he never considered how much she suffers under his open affection. Every time he told her he loved her, Erik was sure it could help that she might fall in love with him too. He never even began to think that it might hurt her or even frighten her.

She smiles at him, a drained, weak smile that holds all the pain of the world in it,

'' If I let this happen it will end, sooner or later. Whether it be in a couple of months or in 20 years, that doesn't matter. Because it ends the same. And the thing about this is: It doesn't even have to end because we grow tired of each other or… because we decide for it to happen. Sickness, accidents, attacks… all of these things can bring an inevitable and sudden death to one of us and leave the other alone. This is not a parking meter where it goes 'the more money you put in the more time you have'! You can't decide when your life's going to end. This is not a book where you know when something's going to come up that could eventually kill you! You can't decide 'oh today is the day someone will shoot me if I show up in school, maybe I better stay at home'! That's not how it works! '' She breaks off again as her voice grows louder and faster with each word and tears threaten to spill over again. Erik can feel his heart hurting, physically hurting. Her points are valid, of course. Life is cruel and unpredictable and it can change in a heartbeat. All that time he was so determined to just make her love him that he never even began to imagine what could happen after that point. It just seemed to surreal to him that he never even dared to go this far, not even in his own mind.

'' So no! It's not your face or your character or the fact that I could not imagine myself with you. It's the mere idea of falling in love that _scares the shit out of_ _me_! And even though we would have a nice time… I'm not sure that this time is worth what comes after. So I rather continue my path the way I did than taking this risk. I'm sorry…'' She continues more calmly but the lack of screaming brings out even more pain. Slowly Kathrine breathes out before abruptly looking to the side while sliding her fingers through her hair. Erik offers a tender smile, his hands coming up to her face to cup her cheeks and wipe the tears from them,

'' I understand. I do not except you to answer me or to force yourself into anything you are not comfortable with. If you ever decide to allow me in your life like this, I will be there waiting for you. No matter how long it takes. Even if it takes decades. I will be here, waiting for you. I know you are afraid, Kathrine. I am too. I never felt like this for anyone before. But I swear that I will do everything for you, no matter what it is. '' Kathrine's eyes avoid looking at him directly and Erik won't try to change that. Because the tears in her eyes vanished almost completely and the shaking of her body calmed. After a few moments pass in silence Kathrine takes his hands from her face before taking a step back. Suddenly she looks almost ashamed. Erik titles his head to the side,

'' Do you mind if I… say just one more thing? ''

'' Shoot. '' He looks at her. She looks back. Another alliteration.

'' I… want to thank you. ''

'' For what? Being emotionally crippled? That's not exactly something you should thank me for. '' He smiles at her attempt to mask her pain with sarcasm and shakes his head,

'' For staying with me these past days. ''

'' Thanks for having me. ''

They settle in for another movie night. While Erik leans against every pillow he has had in reach, Kat sits between his legs, her back against his chest and his arms around her almost protectively. His chin is on top of her head while she holds her phone so that both of them can see the display properly. He tells her about his childhood that night. About everything he's been through. He tells her about the shame and the loathing her mother felt towards him so that a mask was the first item he ever received. Erik tells her how she abused him until he run from her and run right into the arms of gypsies where everything just started from new. Until it got worse. They made a show out of him, 'The Devil's Child' or 'The Living Dead'. The man leading the show abused him in front of the gaping crowd that threw trash at him and insulted him. Nobody ever tried to help him. Until young Madam Giry helped him and hid him inside the Opera. He tells her that he can still remember everything so clearly even though it has been decades since he's been brought to the Operas dungeons. Erik tells her everything and Kathrine listens patiently, she is not interrupting him once.


	11. Chapter 10 - In The Dark It Is Easy

**Chapter 10:** In The Dark It's Easy To Pretend

* * *

 **\- Day 5 -**

'' …Kathrine? '' One eye opens at him, then it closes. Erik watches as she sighs,

'' Erik I hope you have a really good reason to wake me…''

'' I… do. I have something for you. A gift. ''

'' Except it's chocolate I don't care. '' As he doesn't object she turns to him, a grin on her face, excitement obviously overpowering the tiredness,

'' _Is_ it chocolate? '' He smiles at her,

'' Why don't you find out? It is on the table in the- '' Before he has the chance to finish, Kathrine wriggled out of the bed where she almost trips and runs into the living room. With a chuckle Erik follows after her. He finds her standing halfway in the door, staring with wide eyes and her mouth open at the table. He put the books and papers that usually covered it aside and instead set the table with 2 glasses, a bottle of wine and in the middle a rather big cake that looks almost too chocolatey to be true. If Kathrine had diabetes, this cake would kill just by looking at it too long. Erik watches how Kathrine's hands fly to her mouth, an excited squeak barely muffled by the gesture. She surely has never looked more adorable. Slowly Erik closes the gap between them and gently puts his hands on her upper arms, the warmth of her skin tickling his palms,

'' I was hoping it would please you. I thought that it would be a good way to celebrate your success, even though it is a bit late. ''

'' Oh my god that's a cake! Look how awesome it is! It's chocolate cake! I'm gaining weight by just looking at it, this is perfect! '' Not giving him the chance to walk her to her chair and pull it out for her she dashes forwards and throws herself halfway on her chair and halfway on the table. She struggles for a moment before pulling her feet onto the chair, her soles touching each other so that her legs shape a diamond before her. He chuckles at her eagerness and takes his seat next to her. As soon as he settled she takes the first bite of the cake, groaning in pleasure,

'' This is awesome! It's so chocolately, I'm gonna die! ''

'' So you like it? ''

'' Are you kidding? I love it! Where did you buy that! I'm gonna order, like, 15 and eat every one of them before I'm out of the door! Oh I'm gonna be so fat and _so_ _frikkin_ ' happy! '' He puts his chin on his hands, glancing at her amused,

'' I did not buy it. ''

'' Madam Giry? ''

'' She did not buy it and she did not make it. She merely bought the ingredients. '' Her expression drops, the fork halting in her mouth. Slowly her eyes move from him to the cake and back,

'' No. Don't tell me you made that thing yourself. '' He scratches the back of his neck awkwardly,

'' I thought it was a better idea than to buy something of what I do not know if it is filled with enough chocolate to satisfy your sweet tooth. '' She looks at him in silence for a moment before titling her head with a grin,

'' I'm gonna kiss you. ''

'' I… You do not have to, it was my pleasure to- '' Kathrine suddenly leans right across the table to press a chaste kiss to his lips. While his mind still tries to _not_ stop working completely, Kathrine goes back to the cake in front of her. As he licks over his lips he can taste the sweetness of the chocolate on them.

'' I'm glad I could please you. ''

'' Please me? Dude this is straight up high class food-porn! ''

'' ' _Porn_ '? '' She smirks into the cake,

'' Porn's something people in my world enjoy extremely. It's probably one of the most common ways to relax and… have fun. ''

* * *

'' Sounds delightful. ''

'' Oh you've no idea. 's one of those things almost everyone does but no one really talks about it. ''

'' Of course you do talk about it. How am I not surprised? ''

'' As I said, kind of everyone does it. For me it's illogical to shut up about it. Same with using the toilet. ''

'' Yes… how could I ever forget the words 'Phantom I need to pee'. '' She laughs at his expression but most of all she laughs at the way it sounds when he says 'pee'. Like it tastes bitter on his tongue. She loves that.

'' So what's planned for today Master? Music, I bet. Something else? ''

'' I thought we use the rest of the day to each take a relaxing bath. I brought you another dress. I assure you, it does not need a corset. '' She smirks at the hidden meaning behind that before giving him a confused glance,

'' Why do I get a dress? '' She shoves another large bite of the cake into her mouth, smiling at the taste while Erik watches her relaxed,

'' I cannot take you to town in my cloths or in those you wear. We will have to avoid causing any attention. '' She abruptly stops moving as his words sink in. She swallows everything at once,

'' Wait! Slow down Flash! _Town_? You take me to town? '' He nods and rises to his feet. Kat watches how he moves to the sofa and grabs a small paper carton. He puts it down on the table in front of her,

'' I did promise, did I not? Of course we will have to wait until it is dark but- '' Before he can end the sentence she pounds at him and knocks them both to the ground. Erik grunts as he's the first one to come down hard. That doesn't stop her from keeping her arms firmly around his neck though while her whole body lies on his.

* * *

The pain that shoots through his back completely faded before it had the chance to begin as he realizes what happened.

'' Thank you! Oh my god we're going to town! '' She kisses him just as chastely as she did before and sits then up, her legs at each of his sides and her hands firmly on his chest,

'' Vamos a la ciudad! Yo no lo creo! Que son grandes! Dios mío, realmente vamos a la ciudad! '' ( _We're going to town! I don't believe it! You're awesome!_ _Oh my god_ _we're really going into town_ _!_ ) He smiles at her slip and leans back. Kathrine is so busy with her excitement that she did not even notice it. He cannot say that he minds it. Next to the fact that he can understand every word she speaks, she sounds wonderful. Her temper really blooms in that fast, fiery language.

'' How can it be possible that you sound so passionate but speak without any accent? '' Her grin does not drop as she shrugs,

'' Perks on being raised with both languages. I think the only reason I really slip is cause English's too slow of a language for me when I really get going and my mom, abuela and me are screaming at each other in Spanish. '' He smiles at her warmly, his hand coming to her face, his heart beating quickly at the way she still sits on him,

'' I… find it very appealing if you speak it. It harmonizes with your spirit…'' Suddenly her eyelashes flutter at him seductively and her voice lowers alluring,

'' Tal vez lo hablo ahora solo español… Si te gusta le tanto…'' (Maybe I will just speak Spanish then. If you like it that much)

'' Kathrine, do not tease me please. '' His pulse races as she leans down, her arms crossed on his chest, her face so close to his he can feel her breathe on his lips,

'' Mh, but it's so much fun…''

'' Kathrine- '' He breaks off and stops dead in his tracks as she suddenly leans forwards until their lips are almost brushing over each other. He can feel her lips stretching into a smirk. Erik's eyes widen as she licks from his chin over his lips up to the tip of his nose before her tongue arches up. He draws in a sharp breathe. Her eyes stare into his for a moment before she sits up on him again, arches her back and makes a roll backwards until she's on all four before him. He stays on the ground another moment and sits then up slowly. She smirks,

'' This was such a good movie reference and you don't know it. About time we watch Batman Returns. Then you finally see why I love Catwoman so much. '' She gets back to her cake. He lies back down.

* * *

Hours later he sits in front of his desk, feather in hand and paper before him. She insisted that he bathes first so that she can take a digestive nap. He agreed. After he was done he cleaned the bath faintly and filled the tub again in the same heat he did before. She woke up on her own as he entered the room. As soon as she disappeared in the bathroom he decided that now would be a good moment to write her scholar and finally rid himself of that problem once and for all.

'' What's that? '' He winces as her voice suddenly comes up behind him. His hand abruptly covers the note as he turns to her,

'' I thought you were taking your bath? ''

'' Forgot my dress. Why are you writing a letter? Somebody went on your nerves? ''

* * *

'' I am merely taking care of something. '' As he refuses to show her she makes a move like she would accept it. Then she snatches the letter from him and quickly takes a couple of steps away before he can follow. At the 'Dear Williams' her eyebrow rises,

'' You're writing to my teacher? Why...'' Kat trails off as she begins to really read the letter…

Dear Williams

I have not failed to notice your bothers to find Kathrine. I have to admit that I am quite irritated by your behavior. Did I not make myself very clear that I do not wish for any attempts to find her? I am not sure if you realize where your place is, Monsieur, but it is not beside Kathrine. Should you not rest your attempts, there will be consequences. I do not wish for any police in my Opera either. Do not forget who you are dealing with.

O.G.

'' Are you kidding me? '' She expected that her teacher wouldn't give up that easy. She did expect that Erik would be mad. But this is ridiculous. He sounds like a jealous wife writing the ex-girlfriend of her husband a mail to stay away from him. Why would Erik even feel threatened by Mister Williams? Him and Kat are friends, but that's it. Erik's eyes become cold in a heartbeat,

'' I clearly said that I will not tolerate any attempts to find you. He was testing my patience for too long with his silly tricks. ''

'' And that's the reason for writing something that makes you sound like a jealous wife?! '' He stands up so fast that she almost winces, his hand hitting the table while that, causing smaller objects on it to jump,

'' I am not a 'jealous wife', Kathrine. I am the owner of this Opera and people will do as I tell them to or there will be consequence! ''

'' You sound jealous! 'your place is not beside Kathrine', what do you even think he is to me?! ''

'' I do not know for sure what he is to _you_ , I do know what you are to _him_ and I will _not_ allow it! ''

'' You won't _allow_ it? He's a friend you insensible asshole! Not my lover! He looks after me and we are close but he's _not_ interested in me! ''

'' I really doubt that you would be capable to tell the difference. '' She laughs, a dry, sarcastic sound,

'' Oh because you know so much about love in those few weeks you allegedly felt it. '' Suddenly his eyes narrow and that's the moment Kat realizes she's taken a step too far. If she wouldn't be just as furious as him she might even care about that. But right now all she feels is anger at the man that grabs her arm tight enough to leave bruises,

'' I do know that he wants you for himself and that is not acceptable! ''

'' Because _you_ want me for yourself?! What do you think I am, some object you can possess?! '' She rips her arm out of his grasp and walks away from him. If she doesn't leave now she knows she'll do something she's going to regret later. She has to go. They need some space from each other.

'' He is in love with you and I think you are in love with him as well, even if you try to blend it out. '' Her feet stop.

'' What? …No! That's ridiculous! ''

'' Then why is he so important to you?! ''

'' He's my friend! He holds onto my pills and makes sure I take the right dose! He drives me home when I enter an episode, he takes care of me! He's important to me because we're friends! '' Suddenly he looks at her like she just revealed a secret to him, his voice spitting venom at her,

'' Am I not important to you? ''

'' What? ''

'' Was everything you said just a lie? ''

'' How can you even say that! ''

'' Words are breakable, nothing guarantees that they are true. ''

'' So what you said is a lie too? ''

'' I can assure you, I only spoke the truth. '' She snorts, her arms crossing over her chest,

'' Yeah well so did I but that doesn't seem to be important either does it! ''

'' Kathrine you cannot be with him! ''

'' Don't you fucking tell me what I can do and what not! ''

'' That does not lie within your command. You are an ignorant child! How would you know what is good for you and what is not! ''

'' Oh but you do yeah? Sorry I didn't notice that living under a rock like a _bloody_ _salamanda_ suddenly makes you an expert for people! '' He stops a moment before his eyes narrow again. Slowly but surely he's losing his control and Kat knows she has to move away. She knows she has to go.

'' I fear you were right all along, you are not made to be here. You are an arrogant child who thinks people will do what you tell them to just because you have them wrapped around your finger! I told you before, Kathrine, I am not your dog! I will do as I please, if you like it or not and if that scholar comes close to you again I _will_ eliminate him! '' That's the last string for her to see red. She quickly walks up to him to slam her hands into his chest as hard as she can, forcing him a few steps back,

'' Fuck you! Who do you even think you are you arrogant prick! Just because people are too afraid of you to put you back in place doesn't make you better than them! '' She moves to shove him again but his hands clasp her wrists tightly. He pulls her close to him,

'' Careful Kathrine, do not strain my patience…! ''

'' Or what! You gonna go 'Phantom' on me!? I'm not afraid of you, I'm not like the others up there! You think that your face or your childhood is an excuse for everything? Newsflash bitch, you're a normal human being! You're not a demon or an abortion! You're an asshole with fucking issues but _nothing_ _special_! '' Suddenly he pushes her away from him, almost sending her to the ground.

'' You would never understand this! How could I expect of an arrogant wench to possibly understand anything of this! It was a mistake to ever try to teach you in the beginning! I should have made sure you and those other unruly children leave my Opera before you made the first step into it! ''

'' You like to talk all big about yourself! As if this place would be doomed without you! You're just some freak hiding away under the basement! You're too afraid to let people see you and you think you're _leading_ this thing?! The only reason they didn't call the cops on your fucking ass yet is because they are stupid enough to believe you are a serious threat! You're not a ghost! You're a psychopathic murderer that can't even look into the mirror! ''

* * *

He is losing his control. Her words are cutting through his restrain like it would be nothing but a slim thread. Erik was furious before but he cannot remember a time where he ever felt this rage inside him. He knows that she was trying to move away from him, that she was trying to end the fight before it could come to this. But he would not let her. He knew he should have but he was so cross with her that he just couldn't. And now all it needs is one more word and he knows this will end in a bloodbath he will regret later.

'' What, you wanna hit me? Come on! Try it if you got the guts, bitch! '' His hand makes a move to hit her across the face but millimeters before her cheek she blocks the hit with her wrist and pushes his arm back. Before he can react her head shoots forwards and collides hard with his nose. The strength of the impact forces him to back off a few steps, his hand covering his bleeding and probably dislocated nose. Suddenly he's blinded by rage and in one large step he's close to her again, ready to tear her apart with his own hands. This time he manages to grab her on her throat and crash her into his organ, causing the sheets on it to scatter on the ground. Kathrine gasps and Erik sees her face scrunching in pain. He does not care. He wants to hurt her like she hurt him. He wants to break her. He wants to kill her.

* * *

Kat's already bruised back is protesting at the new pain that runs through it and seems to tear every muscle in her body apart. That organ is heavy, solid and it will not break even if he crashes her into it until her body bursts. That seems to be his plan because he uses his grip on her throat to crash her head into the instrument while his hand cuts off her air. Her vision goes blurry, her throat burns from the force he uses to strangle her. Out of instinct her foot kicks hard into his stomach what throws him off her. He knocks one of the candlesticks to the ground in his fall which is tossed into the water through that. Before the splashing noise can fade Erik is back on his feet what allows him to block Kat's next attack in the last second. Erik quickly grasps her on her shoulders to ram his knee into her stomach. He only watches for a second how she coughs up a few drops of blood before allowing his fist to pound into the side of her head. She curls on the ground, pain going through every fiber of her body. She feels nauseous. Kat hears Erik laughing,

'' What is it Kathrine, did you expect this to be easier? '' As she hears him approaching she quickly lies flat on her back and moves her legs between his to kick them apart. The moment he falls to the ground, she's on him and crashes her fist into his temple, the other collides with his cheekbone. Before she can charge at him again, he pushes her off. She tries to get to her feet but he's quicker and rams his foot down onto her ribcage. Kat screeches in pain. Her ribs aren't broken but she knows that they're probably badly bruised. She rolls her body out of his reach and quickly forces herself to her feet. When he's in front of her to make another go at her she lashes out at him. While she barely misses his face with her claws she manages to slash open half of his shoulder. He howls.

They gain some distance between them, glaring at each other. Erik's shoulder shows 4 large, badly bleeding marks that could just as easily have been caused by a tiger. Both of them are hurt to a point by now where normal people would give up. But their minds are filled with rage, the adrenaline in their minds pushing the pain into the background. With a roar of anger Kat throws herself at him and knocks both of them into the water with that. He cries out as her body forces his even harder onto the rough ground of the low water. They struggle to push the other under water. At some point Kat manages to kick him off her and roll to the side. Both sit on all four now, their bodies soaked but that doesn't matter. Erik's nose is bleeding even worse by now, the skin on his deformed cheek and temple split and bleeding. The scratches her nails left on his shoulders look raw. His hair is messy all over his face, his eyes almost a tad darker in their rage. Kat's lip is split and bleeding heavily, her side aching what tells her she probably bruised her ribs. Her vision is blurry, small black dots dance in front of her. Her head is pounding so bad she can't remember the last time it was this bad. Their knuckles are bruised where they threw punches at each other, the adrenaline pumping through their veins but the pain and the coldness of the water causing both of them to slowly come back to their senses. Bit by bit they realize what happened. While Kat allows her body to slack until she sits on her legs and halfway on her hip, Erik crouches on all four a step away from her.

Suddenly Erik's eyes widen as if he only now realizes what happened and he falls back, the water splashing around him as he looks at her with wide eyes. Soon Kathrine can spot the horror in his eyes and her heart starts to ache. Why can't he just apologize and realize it was a mistake? Why does this have to destroy him like that? They fought, yes. But both didn't put all their power in their punches. Kat could have knocked him out before he hit her a second time, Erik could have chocked her as he had the chance. The only reason none of them really is dead, is because they didn't want to do it. He turns his head from her and slowly rises to his feet,

'' I think it would be best to return you. '' Kathrine's eyes close as a stab runs through her heart. Is that it now? Was everything for nothing? She wants to argue, tell him to stop being so sensible and get over it. That this was bound to happen at some point. That they both knew it _had_ to happen. But she can't. Her teeth are grit so hard it hurts, her lips a thin line and her eyes refusing to open as she turns her head away. He's not the only one that feels guilty. But he would never believe her that. He would never believe her that she cares for him. He's too wrapped up in his self-loath and his insecurity. This day began so wonderful… why did it have to end like this?

'' Yeah. '' He offers her his hand but she ignores it and stands up on her own, wringing the shirt a little. There's blood on it from both of them. He remains at her side for a moment longer before he goes to fetch his mask, wig and cloak. As soon as he's dressed and she grabbed her bag, they get into the boat and he brings her back to her room. He's not saying a word while that. He's not even looking at her.


	12. Chapter 11 - Close your eyes

**Chapter 11:** Close Your Eyes

* * *

As soon as she stepped through a small hidden door close to her and Holly's room, the door closes behind her and a pressing silence fills the area. She wastes no time to quickly go into her room. For a moment Kat thinks about checking if he really left and if he has no chance to somehow watch her here. But she doubts that he would stay. As soon as she starts pulling the shirt off over her head, a stabbing pain moves along her ribs.

 _Yep, bruised. Wonderful._

'' Fuck…'' Everything in her hurts. She just wants to lie down and take an extra large dose of morphine. But she didn't take morphine with her. She didn't think she would fight. Not like this. Not without putting any real interest into winning. Just as she managed to get out of the wet shirt there's a knock on her door. It opens a gap,

'' Miss Jones? May I enter? '' Kat abruptly recognizes Madam Giry's voice. Erik must have told her she's back, does she know that she was hurt? Did he tell her that they had a fight? The younger woman shakes those thoughts off, her arms tightly holding onto the shirt but her muscles tremble violently as she strains them,

'' Yeah, come in. I'm just… a little undressed… and… hurt…''

* * *

As soon as Antoinette got into the room and closed the door behind her she examines Kathrine closely. The young woman's body is covered in injuries. Large bruises on her throat let on she has been choked half to death, her back is a battlefield of scratches and deep blue and purple marks. Madam can't stop the gasp. What has Erik done?

'' Dear god… I did not think it would be this bad. '' Without any hint of hesitation Antoinette walks up to her and gently takes the shirt out of Kathrine's hands, eying the blood strains on it carefully. Right now she cannot say if it is only her blood or if Erik was injured too. Kathrine's eyes abruptly move to the ground, her voice bitter,

'' Yeah, you should see _him_. '' Madam Giry studies the younger woman closely. There is regret on her face, too much so to let on that Erik simply beat her in a fit of rage of which she knows he is capable of. So he was hurt too, more badly even than her? No, that is most likely not possible. Kathrine would not have the physical strength to fight him. And Erik should have known that. Antoinette had a bad feeling about this whole thing from the very beginning on and now the young woman before her was badly injured. Madam's eyes move to Kathrine's ribs where probably most of the damage was done. At least that is where the bruises seem the worst, next to her back. Did Erik intend to break her ribs? The thought makes her shudder. Kathrine then shrugs out of the rest of her clothing with little help of Madam Giry. The older woman allows her to change her undergarments in privacy and uses the time to take everything from the first aid kit she will need. There is not much she can do against the bruising but she can clean the bleeding wounds on her face and wrap up her torso to help her ribs in their healing process.

As she turns back she finds Kathrine looking through a small bag until she pulls out two small pills and a pack of cigarettes. Antoinette eyes the last item displeased but she decides not to say anything to that right now. Kathrine puts the pack aside and swallows the two pills, her eyes faintly moving to Madam Giry,

'' Painkillers. '' She nods her head accepting and sits then on the bed next to her. To her surprise Kathrine does not even flinch once as Madam Giry sterilizes the wound.

''...If I may ask… what happened? '' She asks after a while, her hands working quickly to wrap the bandage around Kathrine's torso. The younger woman grits her teeth but shrugs,

'' We had a fight. Started off real small but… it got out of control. ''

'' You wanted to see what is beneath the mask? ''

'' Oh I saw it. A birth defect, no big deal… For me at least… My brother… he's a solider. I've seen friends of him returning from war because they were catastrophically injured. I'm used to _a_ _lot_ worse than that. I pulled the mask off the second day I was with him. He got really angry but I could calm him. I even got him to walk around without that stuff…'' Kathrine's lips turn into a heavyhearted smile. Madam's eyes widen in surprise,

'' I… did not think it would be possible that he ever feels comfortable enough around someone for that… How did it end in such a conflict then? '' Kat gives a sarcastic smirk which abruptly drops again, her eyes becoming somewhat hollow.

'' It started with Mister Williams. Erik wanted to write him a letter, I got pissed and then he suddenly claimed that I'm in love with my teacher. I just... got really angry after he told me that I'm a liar, that everything I said was only to play with him and that I couldn't understand a thing going on. Like I'm stupid… like I wouldn't even be worth the time. Then I just said whatever I could to hurt him. ''

'' God knows there is a lot of that. …I am deeply sorry it ended like this. ''

'' Me too. ''

'' He consulted me after you fought the first time… To ask for advice. I cannot deny that I was surprised. Erik certainly is stubborn and often too sure of his own actions. I did not think that he would ever ask me about a possible mistake he made. '' She pauses then, her eyes moving around the room for a moment without any real destination. Kathrine makes no move to interrupt.

'' I was sure he would not harm you. Especially not this badly…'' The younger woman shakes her head then,

'' I started it. I dared him to hit me. He was furious enough to try. I blocked and landed the first punch… It just went out of control but neither of us really tried to kill the other. He was… so devastated about what happened… -Madam Giry, do you know if he's alright? Did you take care of him too? He was hurt worse than me. I tried to hold back but I'm a professional fighter, defending myself is part of my instinct… I…'' Madam Giry watches how Kathrine breaks off, tears welling up in her eyes as she buries her face in her hands. A sad smile comes to Antoinette's lips, Kathrine is so worried about Erik even though she is hurt too. Could she really love Erik for who he is, with all his flaws? For years all that Madam Giry wanted was for him to find happiness. To have some light in his darkness. If it was in this world or the other. Could Kathrine really offer this? Madam knows best how stubborn and unusual Erik can be, how dangerous he is. She cares for him but she cannot deny that he is a threat to not only himself. He has killed more than once since she met him without ever really showing any remorse for those actions. But Kathrine actually does not seem to mind. And Erik loves her.

Antoinette could not believe her ears as he told her he wanted to offer her a decent meal. And she laughed as he told her he wanted to bake a cake with enough chocolate in it to cause diabetes. He was so ready to do everything for Kathrine that Antoinette now cannot believe it ended like this. On second thought, Kathrine is very hot-blooded. Her temper may not be as dangerous as Erik's, but she is the type of person one should not underestimate. Madam did not know she was a professional fighter. Had she known, perhaps she would have seen this coming. Right now she is released that Kathrine's condition is not worse. And she hopes Erik is fine. He did sound rather normal but Antoinette knows better than to trust the sound of his voice. It has been his instrument for decades.

'' I am sorry my dear, he did not show himself to me… He merely let me know that you were hurt and need my assistance. He left before I could ask any more. ''

'' I understand. '' Madam places a gentle hand on Kathrine's back,

'' He will be fine. Erik does know how to take care of himself. ''

'' Maybe that's the problem. '' Suddenly Kathrine's voice changes and she looks up. The younger woman's eyes are narrowed, her teeth grit in anger. Madam shakes her head, her voice soft as she smooths her hand over Kathrine's back,

'' It was necessary in the past. '' In a heartbeat Kathrine jumps to her feet, her arms making wild movements in her anger as she walks a few steps away from the bed,

'' But that's not fair! That's a _birth_ _defect!_ It's _not_ his fault! Why do people hate him for something he has no control over!? ''

'' I understand your anger. I have asked myself this time and time again. Maybe he was born into the wrong world. ''

'' My world's filled with ignorant assholes just as much as yours is. It doesn't matter _where_ you live in the world, nobody should put someone else down for something they have no- '' Madam Giry quickly gets to her feet as Kathrine stumbles, her eyes almost falling close. Obviously her circulation collapses. The older woman supports her until she is back on the bed,

'' Please, you need to rest. '' Kathrine nods and allows her to help her lie down properly and tuck her under the covers. With a reassuring, small smile she makes her way to the door.

'' I can't go after him, can I? '' Her hand halts over the handle at Kathrine's voice. She sighs,

'' I will try to reach him. ''

'' Thank you…'' With a nod she leaves the room again where she sees Meg waiting.

'' Is she alright Mama? Can I go see her? ''

'' Later my dear. She needs to rest, she is very weak. ''

'' Did he hurt her? ''

'' They hurt each other. She will be feeling better soon. '' In that moment a letter falls down from above them and lands right in front of Madam Giry's feet. She only faintly glances up before picking the letter off the ground. Her and Meg exchange a glance. The young girl looks with another worried glance at the door of Kathrine's room but makes no attempt to press her wish to see her. Madam Giry sighs and makes her way to the entrance hall with the intention to quickly deliver the letter. Before she can reach the stairs, she is abruptly met with a loud discussion between what sounds like her Managers, the Teacher and La Charlotta.

'' I want to know who send this letter to me! '' A voice which can only belong to the leading Diva rings through the opera. Madam Giry sighs. This is not going to help with the already tensed atmosphere.

'' Not me! '' The Teacher sounds angry too.

'' So you are saying this is not the letter you send?! ''

'' No! Why would I send that?! ''

'' Signora, please, what is it that was send to you? '' Missouri Firmin asks, obviously trying to calm the raging woman before him. Madam waits slightly hidden from their sight as she sees how Firmin takes the letter to read it out loud,

'' Your days at the Opera Populaire are numbered. Kathrine Jones will be singing on your behalf tomorrow night. Be prepared for great misfortune, should you attempt to take her place. ''

'' And why should I send that? ''

'' Who knows what is really going on between you and that girl! ''

'' Okay Lady, _very_ thin ice- ''

'' Mister Williams, please…'' André steps in too, his voice nervous. Madam decides to interrupt before there are more people getting hurt,

'' _Miss Jones has returned._ '' In a heartbeat every eye is on her. André is the first to speak up,

'' _I hope no harm was done to her, we were concerned?_ ''

'' _Where_ _precisely_ _is she_ _now_ _?_ ''

'' _In her room, I thought it best she'd be alone._ ''

'' _She needed rest_. '' Meg chirps up beside her. The teacher abruptly makes his way downstairs,

'' I'll go to her- ''

'' _No Monsieur, she will see no one._ '' He does not look very pleased about that.

'' _Will she sing?!_ _Will she sing?!_ '' Carlotta and Piangi scream in union,

'' _I have a note-_ ''

'' _Let me see it_ _!_ ''

'' Please. '' Firmin looks reasonable at her so she hands him the note,

Gentlemen, I have now send you several notes of the most amiable nature, detailing how my theater will be run. So far you have followed all of my instructions, which I have noted with great pleasure.I do hope you continue this wisely.

Kathrine Jones has returned to you and I am anxious her career will progress. In tonight's performance of Hannibal she will therefore continue to play the role of Erissa. The role of Erissa is a Soprano which is not suited well for Signora Guidicelli. Thereby I prohibit for her to step a foot on my stage in this production. I wish for you to prepare Miss Jones for her performance with the same care as before.

The scholar will hold his distance to her from now on.I do not wish for him to provide any distraction.

I shall watch the performance from my normal seat in box five which will be kept empty for me. Should these commands be ignored, a disaster beyond your imagination will occur.

I remain, gentlemen, you obedient servant. 

O.G.

The two managers exchange a glance. Before any of them can say a word, Carlotta throws her arm up,

'' _Kathrine!_ ''

'' _Whatever next?_ ''

'' _Of course it comes down to dear Kathrine! The Ghost's little darling!_ ''

'' _Please, this is insane._ ''

'' _Signora, can you believe this?_ ''

'' _Un tradimento!_ '' ( _A Betrayal_ )

'' _Signora!_ ''

'' _E li sostenete!_ '' ( _And you support that_ )

'' _Signora please_ \- ''

'' I will not stand here and _-_ '' The Diva breaks off, her eyes widening abruptly. The others follow her glance and soon spot Kathrine leaning against the wall, her arms crossed and a glare on her face. She dressed in a simple shirt that hangs down one shoulder and reaches her knees. Her feet are bare. The bandages on her body are clearly visible through the loose fit of the shirt and the bruises on her face took a deeper shade. Her face is pale and despite the anger her eyes are dull what lets on that the painkiller she took is not taking any effect yet. To be quite blunt, she looks more than horrible. Mister Williams' eyes widen, the man's heart obviously sinking to his knees. His voice is rough,

'' Kat…'' The small crowd watches how Kathrine pushes herself off the wall and approaches the two Managers who still hold onto Erik's notes. She snatches the papers out of their hands and briefly reads through each of them. Her expression twists into even more anger as she tears the notes apart. She drops the shreds on the floor carelessly and turns to Carlotta,

'' Good luck, the role's all yours. '' The Diva still looks at Kathrine with a somewhat blank expression. As she does not answer right away, Kathrine turns but stops in her attempt to walk away as Monsieur Firmin speak up,

'' Miss Jones, the Phantom will- '' Suddenly she turns on her heels, causing the manager to take a step back as her voice spits acid at him,

'' I am _not_ a puppet that he can _play_ and _order_ _around_ as he pleases. '' Carlotta now shakes out of her slight shock and shakes her head, her voice tensed,

'' I do not want the role handed over by you! '' Kathrine's glare shifts to her,

'' Okay I'll explain this as plainly as I can: I've got the headache of my life, my ribs are killing me and my fingers are shaking so bad I can't even roll a joint. Take the role, or don't. I don't care. It's not my problem. Nothing of this is…'' Her voice starts of harsh but turns more an more into a quiver as the pain visibly returns. Monsieur André takes a step closer to her, his expression soft. Antoinette noticed that he grew quite fond of the younger woman,

'' Miss Jones- ''

'' Don't 'Miss Jones' me! I'm done! Done with performing, done with singing, done with this Opera! Done! ...I'm sorry. But that's it for me. '' As quickly as she approached, she leaves again. The people in the entrance hall look at each other, the mood suddenly worse than before.

* * *

Only a few minutes after Kat closed the door, Holly and Jessie storm into the room,

'' Kat?! I knew it was you! We were worried! '' Holly abruptly makes a go at her to wrap her arms around her friend tightly. Only as she feels Kat flinching furiously she leans back and takes a look at her, noticing the bruises and bandages. Her mouth opens as she draws in a sharp breathe but Jessie's the first to speak up,

'' Kat, what happened?! ''

'' I'm fine. ''

'' You don't look fine! You look- '' Holly breaks off, not able to form any more words but Jessie's slowly growing angry,

'' Was that him? I'm gonna rib his lungs out!- '' Kat jumps to her feet, her eyes narrowed,

'' No! You leave him alone! I swear to god Jessie if you come close to him…! '' The threat drowns in another sway of her body. Holly helps her back onto the bed where Kat rests her head on her friend's shoulder. Jessie's eyes narrow dangerously,

'' What's that supposed to be! You got Stockholm Syndrome now!? He kidnapped you! That bloody psycho hurt you! ''

'' I went with him on my own! He held his hand out to me, I took it! We had a fight, yes, but he looks worse than me! And while I'm being treated and cared for here, he's alone! But that doesn't matter because I can't do shit about it! ''

'' Kat what happened…''

'' Doesn't matter anymore. It's over. Arruiné todo…Yo sabía que estaba yendo demasiado lejos… Pero no podía dejar de…'' ( _I ruined everything. I knew it was going to far. But I couldn't stop_ ) Jessie growls,

'' Don't go Spanish on me. '' Holly gives him a look. Jessie sighs and gets to his feet,

'' I'll get you something to drink…''

'' Make it very alcoholic, please. '' Jessie looks at Holly who is clearly not pleased by the request but nods her head anyway. Jessie would never get Kat anything that Holly doesn't approve of, not in situations like that. It's one of the things he noticed first. Holly knows everything about Kat, what she can stand, what she can't, what she should do, what she better shouldn't. Holly's taking care of Kat when she's coming into an episode or when its over, Holly knows about everything inside of Kat. These two share secrets Jessie doesn't even want to know. He saw Kat once right after an episode and that was the scariest shit he's ever seen. So he sighs and leaves the room.

* * *

The moment the door closes and they're alone Holly turns to Kat, her voice soft but demanding,

'' Tell me what happened Kat…'' She shakes her head, tears welling up in her eyes,

'' He's deformed. Half of his face and some of his head. He wears a mask and a wig to hide that. He's got some form of PTSD and other shit… He's so broken Holly. I'm the first person that really… He had no childhood, no friends, no love, no parents, no one that cared about him. He put his whole trust, his whole love into me and I messed up! '' The tears now fall freely. Holly knows her long enough to have a vague idea about what happened.

'' You said things to him of which you know will hurt him. ''

'' It went so great! Everything was fine! Yes we had small arguments and there were a lot of tears but it was good! He opened up to me, told me everything about him. He told me about his childhood, his abuse, his pain. He trusted me. He loves me. And I used it against him. But… I trusted him too… I told him everything…''

* * *

A few hours later Kat's fast asleep, cuddled up in her blanket with her arms tightly wrapped around her tear-streaked pillow. After telling Holly everything that happened she took one of her Valium. Holly can't deny that she needs a moment of silence right now to sort everything out she just heard. Kat brought herself into a lot of dangerous or unusual situations yet, whether it be the fighting or the stripping or the escort-career. But this? Holly isn't sure that she can compare this to anything that happened yet. Or if anything at all could be compared to that. Kat managed to find one of the most vulnerable yet dangerous men on earth. And that man is hopelessly in love with her even though she told him about herself. Kat never tells anyone the full story. If somebody asks she will tell people that she's got Anxiety. She might even talk about the pills but it really depends on who's asking and most of the time she mentions them it's in some sort of joke. Only very few people know about the whole package and now Kat told somebody she barely knows. Of course, considering how he acts it was the right thing to do but Kat could just as easily have lied and made something up. It wouldn't be the first time. Kat's way to flirt with everyone is often misleading, especially if she then keeps such a high wall around herself. For someone like Erik this must be hell on earth.

After taking a deep breathe Holly goes outside to find Jessie and Meg in front of the door. Jessie bought Kat some sweet alcohol for when she wakes up. Holly can't say that she likes it but she knows Kat will and right now she needs it. After informing Meg and Jessie briefly about what happened without mentioning any details they settle on Holly's bed. They spend the next hours with talking and playing games while keeping an eye on Kat.

* * *

Madam Giry comes in at some point to check up on Kat. The only other visitor is Mister Williams. He was drained, tired, guilt-filled. He would feel worse if Holly would tell him about anything that has happened. Mister Williams was always one of the most popular teachers on their school. He was funny, charming, intelligent, good at teaching and he cared for them without being creepy. But he bonded most with Kat. Many people do that. Kat has something on her that fascinates. Not many people would stick with her for long if they knew everything about her though. Kat has a lot of brief friends but she always makes sure to not let anyone see the 'real' her. Holly and Jessie, they know the real her. Holly more than Jessie. And Mister Williams knows the real her too. He has seen her. Kat run from Holly, too afraid that she could hurt her and run right into his arms. It was one of the best things that could have happened. Every other teacher on their school would have either not cared or called the cops because they would have thought she was on drugs. He was helping her, he does since then. Holly knows they meet for a coffee or a drink here and now. But even though he is close to her, he can't find out about what happened. He would never tolerate it… And Kat couldn't stand it if he turns from her…


	13. Chapter 12 - Denied Me And Betrayed Me

**Chapter 12:** Denied Me And Betrayed Me

* * *

Kat wakes up around 2pm. She slept 15 hours through, that's not bad. There were no nightmares, no pain, no nothing. Just sleep. She feels drained, though. Even after the hours of sleep she feels drained and restless. Her heart is aching, her body feels broken.

She takes another painkiller and swallows it with the booze Jessie got her. Holly isn't pleased but she doesn't really try to stop Kat either. She knows that right now leaving Kat some space is the best. Because that's what she needs. Alcohol and painkillers and space. And Erik. She needs Erik but she can't have Erik so she will go for more alcohol. She empties half of the bottle in the blink of an eye. The fact that she is still feeling the effect of the Valium and that she mixed the fun with painkillers makes her sick but she loves the feeling of alcohol on an empty stomach. Because that feeling makes her forget the pain in her body and the disgusting feeling in her shitty heart.

Along the day many people come by to visit her. Her class comes in, not all at once, they come always two at a time. Like she just survived some kind of big trauma. They ask her how she is, if she needs anything, they ask what happened. They weren't as worried as her teacher. They withhold something from her but she's too drunk and too tired to care. The two Managers come in soon after her class to ask her how she feels. They reassure her that she will not have to worry about the performance. After seeing her condition they wouldn't force her onto the stage. Kat has to bite back her ironic laugh. They can't send her on the stage because she looks like she was run over by a car, not because they worry about her condition. Maybe they care a little bit, they're not bad people, just greedy. That's okay though, Kat can deal with greedy better than with pity. Holly, Jessie and Meg wait outside while she has her visitors. Until Kat forces herself up to bark at them to get a life and piss off. Which they do. She doesn't mind that much. All she needs is some time alone. Time alone and more alcohol. The bottle's empty soon after the managers left.

And then the door opens again. To Kat's surprise Carlotta comes in, blue, pompous dress, fluffy hat, something around her hands to warm them that looks like she killed a Muppet for it. Kat can't help herself but laugh at the entrance, what a bloody diva- literally.

'' What you come t' visit me too Carloll… Carl… Carlit.. No no… Car- '' She breaks off, her hand in front of her mouth as if it would help her tongue to speak the name. It's not a hard name but her tongue refuses to work. The Diva looks anything but pleased at Kat's words,

'' _Carlotta_. ''

'' Carl… ota… carota. Calyotas… -I swear I'm not doin' tha on purpis… Pur.. pose… How d' I pick up gurls like tha'? '' Carlotta looks at her while Kat clanks her teeth onto each other a few times in the attempt to become the master of her own mouth again. Suddenly the Diva arches an eyebrow,

'' How much have you had? '' Kat stops and giggles,

'' Busted. ''

'' I think the answer is 'enough'. In that case my present might not be the best idea…'' Kat grins widely as Carlotta pulls another bottle with alcohol out of the thing that warms her hands, what is that called again? She can't remember.

'' Aw you got me more liquor! I luv you! '' Carlotta's eyebrow furrows. She's the typical Diva, Kat almost has to laugh. Maybe she even does laugh. Yeah, she's probably laughing.

''…Thank you? ''

'' Welcome! You're welcome canario! Yer welcome and I'm welcome! Welcome cause of the booze… booze's great! '' (canary) Carlotta just wants to turn and leave as Kat babbles again,

'' C'mon canario! Have a seat next to good ol' Kat! ''

'' I just wanted to bring this. ''

'' Oh don't be a party pooper! Come on! '' Despite the obvious urge to just leave, Carlotta slowly walks to the bed before carefully sitting down. That woman watches herself more than Justin Bieber did after they caught him coming out of the strip club.

'' There we go! So… why's it here? -That was wrong… Sounded like Buffalo Bill… Not good…'' Kat looks to the side almost as if she could read the right words off the ground. She finally shakes her head, her eyes wide open as she slaps her cheeks while taking a deep breathe.

'' Sorry. Again. Why… are you here? ''

'' Were you kidnapped because I left and you had to take my place? '' Kat stares at the guilt-filled expression of the Diva for a second. Is this woman really feeling responsible for her disappearing? No way. No frikkin way.

'' I knew there's a heart in there somewhere! '' She pokes Carlotta's chest. Before the Diva can scold her, Kat smiles and takes the bottle into her hands. Carlotta watches how she takes a large gulp of the bitter liquor,

'' But the answer's no… Don't worry. Wasn't your fault. Was mine. I went on my own. Mama always warned me bout talkin' to strangers and goin' with 'em… Should've listened to her. Well fuck it. ''

'' You… went with the ghost willingly? '' As Kat holds the bottle out to Carlotta, the Diva looks rather disgusted. Kat snorts,

'' C'mon, I don't have AIDS. I won't tell the big mighty Diva drank from the bottle. '' Carlotta sighs and accepts the bottle. Kat grins and shrugs her shoulders, thinking back to Carlotta's question,

'' Sure did. He's like… frikkin' hot. '' Carlotta almost laughs and Kat can see it. Right now the thought that she could see Carlotta laugh makes her grin.

'' What! He really is! Bloody handsome bloke with gorgeous eyes and a _real_ nice behind. A tad bonkers maybe…'' She shrugs and Carlotta gives a single, silent laugh before becoming serious, confused even,

'' _H_ _e_? It is not a ghost, then? '' Kat gives her a look.

* * *

'' D'ya actually _believe_ tha'? _Pfffff_ …! '' She bursts out into giggles. Carlotta watches her slightly amused. She cannot deny that Kathrine has a very charming side in her drunken state. Of course she has never tried to speak to the woman before. She didn't even see her as she presented herself to the class. In fact, Carlotta is very sure Kathrine Jones was not there. As she heard that this girl was taking her place she was outraged, ready to make the girl's life a living hell. But after she heard that the Phantom kidnapped her after he yelled at her she could not help but feel… guilty. There have been incidents with previous 'understudies', but those were pranks. Nothing that actually hurt them. And they weren't kidnapped either. But Kathrine Jones? She is badly hurt, she was obviously beaten. The moment Carlotta spotted her, she did not know what to think. The Phantom killed people in her time at the Opera, but only if they tried to seek him out. From what she heard, Kathrine Jones did no such thing. So what could have caused the ghost's anger?

But on closer consideration Kathrine looks everything but afraid. Perhaps it is the alcohol speaking for her but she is very bluntly gushing for the Opera Ghost. If that _thing_ really is the reason for Kathrine's physical state she would not behave that way, would she? It makes no sense and yet this girl almost appears to be…-

'' Hey… good luck tonight. '' Carlotta is almost confused at the honesty in that woman's eyes. They are courting for the same role and it was obvious that the audience loved Kathrine. Why would she wish her good luck then with such honesty and such a warm smile? The sudden urge to spit into the young woman's face comes to her mind. Instead she gives a tight smile,

'' Thank you. ''

'' I-if you fear another attack… I can say he likes you in alt-o… alt? Alto? Alto. '' Carlotta's eyes widen. Has she talked to the Phantom this intimately?

'' What? ''

'' He _hates_ … you in Soprano. But he said you've got talent in Alto. I dunno why he never told ya, that guy's a bloody stubborn oaf… I can't tell how you sound… never heard ya… but he's pretty good at this stuff…''

'' How close have you been? '' Kathrine looks at her with an expression Carlotta cannot name. Suddenly that expression changes into sadness,

'' You love Piangi, right? '' Carlotta halts briefly at that question. Kathrine's eyes are still fogged from the alcohol but there is a hint honest interest in them. And fear. There is so much fear in her eyes. Carlotta's voice becomes more possessive, louder,

'' Of course I do! He is my husband! '' Kathrine suddenly points at her like the diva just said something of most importance,

'' But _why_! How d'ya know it's love! Why are you allowing this feeling to consume you even though you know it's completely illogical and stupid! ''

'' Why would you be asking me this? ''

'' Because… I'm _tryin_ ' to _understand_. Understand why people willingly sacrifice _everything_ for those short moments they spend 'in love'. I… I try to understand… where people pick up… the courage… to love. ''

'' Have you never been in love? ''

'' No. ''

'' But why not! ''

'' Because it destroys people…'' There is so much pain in her voice that Carlotta wonders what happened to her. That girl is at least 10 years younger than herself. She belongs to that class that means she must be 19 or 20. How can someone in that age think of love like that? Carlotta feels frustration building up in her but not because of anger. Love is the most important thing on this world and to have someone before her that does not even know the best about it is maddening.

'' But it also builds them! Love is the most pleasant, the most wonderful feeling in the world! To love and be loved in return is worth anything that might or might not come after! ''

'' And what if that 'after' is nothing but pain? Even if it is 'true love' and not just that crush-thingy… if you know that once this ends you _will_ _die_ … how can you enjoy it? '' Carlotta shakes her head,

'' Kathrine if you love someone then do not let anyone or anything come between that. No other person, no fear, nothing. True love is very rare, you barely ever find it. If you do though, then do not let go of it. Because nothing in the world is more precious. ''

'' But… life's _short_. People die in the blink of an eye… why are you willing to risk _everything_ for something so fragile? ''

'' Why would you live then, if you know it will only lead to death? ''

'' Because you can't change death. Everyone dies, that's natural. But… you can decide if you want to love. ''

'' If you meet the person that is destined to be with you, you cannot decide if you fall in love or not. You can only decide what you do with this love. Some things you have to enjoy while they last, you cannot only wait for the consequences that follow. '' Kathrine Jones bites her lip, her eyes moving to the bottle before taking an extremely large gulp. Carlotta's eyes narrow,

'' You are in love with… _him_ … are you not? '' Suddenly Kathrine looks at her almost pleading,

'' Don't tell sober-me… she's in denial. ''

'' And… _drunk-you_ … is not? ''

'' Drunk-me is too drunk to deny. Too tired to deny…'' Before Carlotta can say something to the woman that is hurting in more ways that just physically, the door opens. Carlotta is on her feet before Kathrine's friend is inside. The younger girl looks at the Diva with wide eyes,

'' A-am I interrupting something? ''

'' Holly! I got new alcohol! She's my new best friend! I can't say her name… but I luv 'er! '' Carlotta watches how Holly blushes before looking at her,

'' I am so sorry… she's a cuddly-drunk. '' Kat smiles,

'' Yes I am. ''

'' Kat give me the bottle. ''

'' I'm gonna give you a kiss if you leave me and my baby alone and a kick in the butt if you try to separate us. '' Kathrine's friend looks up at Carlotta,

'' Don't worry she means the alcohol. ''

''… I will be going then, goodbye. ''

'' Carloll… Damn… Canario! Wait! '' Carlotta turns back a moment to see Kathrine doing her best to show her genuine gratefulness,

'' Thank you. '' She leaves without another word.

* * *

'' What was she doing here? ''

'' She… thought she was the reason for my… gone-ness. She felt sorry. Told ya, the ice-queen's got a heart. ''

''…Please give me the bottle, Mister Williams will come in any- '' She stops as they hear a knock on the door. Kat quickly but clumsily hides the bottle under her pillow as Mister Williams comes in,

'' Uhhh… Another one. Soo many guests… Suddenly everyone wants t' talk to me… usually nobody wants te talk t' me…''

'' Kat are you… -Is she drunk? '' Holly lifts her hands over her head and makes her way to the door,

'' I tried to stop her. ''

'' Hols! Come back! ''

'' Nope. ''

'' Traitor. '' Kat leans back against the wall and looks at her teacher who stares back at her,

'' Kat, are you drunk? ''

'' A tad. ''

'' Can you understand me properly? ''

'' A tad. ''

'' How are you feeling? ''

'' A tad- wait… no that's wrong…'' She looks past him, trying to roam her brain for the right words,

'' I feel drunk, stupid. -There that's what I wanted to say. ''

'' Do you have more alcohol? '' She nods firmly,

'' Absobloodylootely. ''

'' Will you give me the bottle? ''

'' Absobloodylootely _not_. ''

'' You know I can't give you your pills if you drink that much. '' Suddenly her charming, slightly slurry, grin drops and her eyes become dull. Nathan's expression abruptly changes into worry.

''…I didn't take them…'' Her voice is slow, sad,

'' I didn't need 'em… I was fine without 'em… Was a lil' hard but… but fine. I was fine… I was good- '' Suddenly she breaks off, thick tears coming from her eyes. Nathan is at her side immediately, his arms around her so that she can cry into his shoulder. Why is she always crying these past days? She cried more in those days than she normally does in a year. She sometimes cries when she's in an episode and becomes too frightened or whatever else is going on then. She cries when the anxiety's having a too tight grip on her. But both of that doesn't happen often. Now she feels like her whole life's only revolving around that. And she hates it. This is what she warned Erik about, this horrible feeling in her chest that makes her want to just scratch and scratch until she passed her ribs and can rip her heart out. No matter how much she drinks her thoughts always go back to Erik. He's hurt too, just as bad as her if not even worse. He's alone. He's got no one to look after him. He'll go mad again and he'll have nightmares and she can't do anything about it.

'' Kat… whatever hold this man has on you, we can get this right. ''

'' He loves me Nathan. I know he's dangerous… but he's not a monster I swear. '' Suddenly he pulls back to stand up, his voice getting louder,

'' Look at you! You're beaten up! I don't care what he tells you that he might feel for you, he's going too far! I knew I should have searched the whole goddamn Opera! But of course I let the others talk me out of that! '' She shakes her head and sits up on her knees, her hands reaching out for him,

'' No! No it's not like that! He's- ''

'' He's a psychopath. ''

'' Well yeah, duh. We knew that before. But he's… so much more! ''

'' What, he's a stalker too? ''

''…He actually is… - That sounds really horrible now that I say that out loud. Still, you gotta stay out of this! ''

'' What? Do you actually think I would just stay back and watch how some asshole kills you- ''

'' He _w_ _on't_ kill me! This is _not_ your fight! You watched out for me when I was a kid, I can't thank you enough for that! But I have to do this _alone_! ''

'' Kat. Did he slip you something? '' Kat freezes.

 _Please let it be that… Some drug that wears off at some point… Please._

* * *

That night Nathan's hiding behind the curtain of box 5. Kat wants him to stay out of this and he will. But first he wants to see the man that has her so in his grip, talk to him. At least that's his plan. He can't say yet if he will stick to that. The Phantom didn't appear in the box yet, Carlotta is on stage and nothing happens. The others of the class are in the audience. Holly and Jessie keep an eye on Kat. He waits for the announced disaster to come up but nothing happens. Maybe Kat was telling the truth and she beat the guy up so bad he has to stay down this night. Nathan can't say that the thought doesn't make him grin a little. Suddenly a note flutters down from the ceiling. He waits a moment for something else to come but slips out of his hiding place and pics the note off the ground…

You should have listened, Monsieur Williams.

And then everything happens very fast. A voice that appears to come from every direction scolds them for letting Carlotta sing and not keeping Box 5 empty for his use. Carlotta looses her voice and a man hangs.

The moment the dead body sways over the stage, the curtains close. André and Firmin announce that it was an accident and that Kathrine will play the Erissa after a 20 minutes break. Nathan abruptly starts running. He has to get to Kat before the Phantom gets her again. Before he can even make it to the stairs, Kat catches up to him.

'' Kat- '' She cuts him off by grabbing his hand and pulling him after her roughly. Her body and face are hidden by a long cloak, the hood of it almost touches her nose. Was she afraid the Phantom would notice her should she not wear this?

'' Come with me! '' For a moment he allows her to pull him after her before following on his own so that she can move more freely. He looks around as she leads him through the Opera in quick steps, like she knows exactly where she's going.

'' Kat what's going on?! Where are we going? ''

'' Up. We have to go up to the roof. It's the only place you're safe, he won't hurt you there. '' His eyes narrow as he picks up on speed to follow properly as she almost runs up the stairs, a rose in her hand with a black ribbon around it. Where did that rose come from? She seems almost like in trance but not in the way she sometimes just blanks out, this is different and he doesn't like it.

'' He? The Phantom? What's going on! Kat! '' He calls out for her but she doesn't stop to look at him,

'' I didn't think he will go this far. I don't know why he killed him but he's angry, I don't want him to hurt you. Holly and Jessie are with Madam Giry, she won't let him hurt them. ''

'' Kat you have to go back! ''

'' We can't go back, not now. You're not safe down here. He will kill you! ''

'' What are you talking about! He won't be able to get you if we stay with the others! ''

'' He'll find us wherever we go but he won't attack you if we get to the roof. He promised me. ''

'' What do you mean? _Who_ is he! Where is he hiding! ''

'' The Phantom will kill you if you leave this place with me! The Opera is a labyrinth for us but he knows every corner of it! ''

'' Kat answer me! ''

'' My god what did I do…!? ''

'' Kat! '' He pushes past her to step onto the roof while she closes the door.

'' Kat we have to get back down! ''

'' You don't understand…'' She leans her head against the door.

* * *

'' Kat... Where have you been. What happened while you were gone? Why would you out of all people let someone push you around like that! You're not the person for an abusive relationship! '' Her eyes close.

She shakes her head with a small smile and turns to the man behind her. He's looking at her with demand, the typical teacher look. But she can see the worry behind the roughness. After they heard a knock on the door and Holly found the rose in front of it, Kat knew something was about to happen. He's angry with her so he will let everyone else pay for that. Because that's how he is. So she sent her friends to Madam Giry because he wouldn't hurt them if they're with her. Kat's not sure he would go for them at all but she had to make sure. She ran as fast as she could after hiding under the cloak. But she was too late. The moment she reached the stage the only thing she could do was watch how that man's body came down. She can't deny that it frightened her a little. After that she knew she had to find Nathan. He would be Erik's next target, Kat knew he had to be. Luckily her friend's first instinct was to reach her so she could catch up to him. Now that they're on the roof he might be safe. At least somewhat. At least for now.

'' I was with him… His voice is so magnetizing, _he_ is magnetizing… Yes we had a fight but that was my fault too. He never before hurt me, you have to believe me. ''

'' I don't care if he did it once or several times! It's just as bad! ''

'' I hit him first! ''

'' Well _he_ is not my friend! ''

'' But I am your friend, so just _listen_ _to me_! '' She points at herself, her teeth grit as she yells at him. Why can't he listen to her, why can't he just stay out of this and let her do what she has to do. He has no idea about what's going on. He's making everything worse!

'' I am but everything you say is bullshit! Kat there's no excuse for those injuries! Not one! ''

'' Yes there is! I unmasked him, I yelled at him, I pushed him! I did so much shit in those days I was with him but he was always patient! Yes he screamed at me sometimes but most of the time he was understanding in moments where I would have bashed my face in! ''

'' Stop defending him Kathrine- ''

'' Kat! '' He falters at her sudden outburst but quickly shakes it off,

'' Whatever reason he had for the fight, he just killed a man! Right there! He hung him in the middle of the stage because you refused to sing his part! '' Nathan tries to close the gap between them but Kat walks around him to gain more distance.

'' I never said he isn't dangerous or off his rocker! He is! But he has his reasons! I'm not defending the murder! I'm defending what happened between us! ''

'' There is no 'us' between you! I won't let it! I'm looking after you for years and I won't let some psychopath kill you now just because you think he has some fucking reasons! This isn't Beauty and the Beast! He's a murderer and as soon as I get the chance to I will make sure he's going to jail for what he did! '' Kat stomps with her foot. She feels frustrated. Frustrated and in pain and still a little drunk and her heart is just aching so fucking much.

'' No! You can't! Just leave him alone! Just- '' She breaks off to take a deep breathe, she has to calm. They have to calm. They need to sort this out.

''...Please don't hurt him... I know what he's doing is wrong but I swear he's not a monster, or a Ghost. '' Her eyes move back to the rose in her hand. Slowly a soft smile tugs at her lips, her voice tender,

'' He's a man... and he's wonderful...'' She shakes her head,

'' But... he's angry... and sad and lonely. Before me there never was anyone that cared about him. C-can you even imagine that? To be alone and loathed for all your life? His evil wasn't born, it was made. He's a sociopath, yes, but… I think all he needs is… a chance. ''

'' That doesn't justify anything. ''

'' But it does! Don't you understand, he's so alone. I... I don't think I've ever seen someone so broken... He's a genius! He's writing Operas, songs, stories. He can draw and built things. He's a great cook and a gifted architect and designer. All he needs... is some help. How can you expect someone who's been alone and hated his whole life to be perfectly sane? To be capable to just blend in? ''

'' And now _you_ want to help him? ''

'' I- '' He interrupts her,

'' You do realize that you need pills just to _function_ normally, right? What do you think you could possibly do to help him? Listen, I don't want to take any hope from you but you're not even capable to take care of yourself properly, how do you want to take care of him? ''

'' I don't know! I have no idea but…'' Tears. There are tears stinging in her eyes again. One would think she cried herself empty by now…

'' You can't help him. No matter what you think up how this could work, you can't make this happen. '' She looks at the rose in her hand with desperation. She wants to tell him that he's wrong, that she can take care of both of them. That she can help him. But she knows it's a lie. Erik is so hurt, so broken… And her hands are full with her own shards already. How could she ever help him? She would probably only make everything worse.

'' Kat…''

* * *

Erik runs as fast as his legs will carry him to the roof. She has to be there, he knows she will. At first he thought she would go to the chapel but as he found it empty he knew she would come here. She said she feels safe here, that she likes the view. She was so happy as he showed her the roof at the night before her performance. He promised her that this will always be the place where she can feel safe, that there will never be any harm done to her or anyone else at this place.

After he killed Buquet he soon spotted Kathrine staring at the body with horror in her eyes. He did not intend for her to see it, he thought she was in her room. He has to apologize for frightening her like this. He has to explain why he had to kill Buquet. There just wasn't any other choice. He was about to discover his home, _their_ home. He could not let that happen. It had to be done.

'' Kat...'' Erik stops dead in his tracks as he hears another familiar voice and quickly hides behind one of the gargoyles. He glances past the object to find his angel facing the view that shows Paris. Her eyes are so dull, as if she will begin to cry any moment. Her body is broken, bandages are showing over the hems of her clothing and her body is slightly crouched. Behind her is that insolent man, that scholar. Erik's hands clench to fists as he sees how the man puts his hands on Kathrine's shoulders gently,

'' Kathrine…''

* * *

''... _Kathrine_...'' Kat's eyes widen slightly as she hears his voice. As if the wind would carry it. She takes a step away from her teacher and looks around. She can almost feel his eyes on her body. But considering everything that has happened lately and what substances she has in her body, considering how her mind is fighting her, it could be a prank of her imagination too. It wouldn't be the first time today that she has hallucinations. She sighs and looks at the rose in her hand, her fingers softly brushing over the ribbon, completely ignoring that one hand returns to her shoulder while the other places on her upper arm. He tries to calm her but right now she doesn't want him to do that. She wants him to understand that Erik is… Erik is the love of her life.

'' Think about it. About everything that happened. What he's done to you and everyone else… He's dangerous Kat…'' Her eyes narrow. He's right, of course he is. She knew from the beginning on that Erik should be enjoyed with caution. But she also knows that his past is affecting him with this. If it wasn't for the abuse he might be a complete different man. And yet…

 _He's right, I can't take care of him… or help him… I can't even take care of myself… I would only make it worse…_

'' I tried to call in the Boat sooner but I could only send a letter. We're trapped here, yes, but you're not trapped with him. I protect you, no matter what. ''

'' You have no idea what you're getting yourself into. He's not like the blokes you find in England. He's…'' She tries to find a word that could describe him. Not only his mania and his danger. She wants a word that can describe his flaws and his good sides. He has so much good on him, so much interesting. Mister Williams can only see the bad but she saw him how he really is. She spent time with him, learned to know him. She fell in love with him. How can she even begin to explain the depths of this man to her friend? His genius, his charm, his gentleness. Everything that makes him so wonderful and special. How can she ever find a word for that…

* * *

Erik feels his heart pulling together in his chest, is she really afraid of him? Has he ruined everything now? Was his murder enough to forever chase her from him? No, not only the murder. Their fight too. The way he hurt her… How could she not be afraid of him? His body starts to shake as she does not end her sentence. Is she looking for a word to describe how much she fears him? Is she trying to describe the monster he is and simply cannot find a word that is horrible enough? All he wants is to stand behind her now and beg her for forgiveness. She has shown mercy so many times by now, can he not ask for one last time? He wants to hold her close, to wipe these tears from her eyes and promise her the world. Promise her that he will never hurt her again. But all he can do is watch how slowly every bit of emotion she felt for him disappears. Vanishes into the thin air like smoke. Can she really believe the words of the man behind her? Could she really doubt his undying love for her?

'' He's dangerous. I know, it's okay… Kat, it's okay I swear. Whatever happens from now on, I won't let him close to you again. '' Slowly Kathrine's hands lower as the scholar turns her around. Erik's eyes fall upon the rose in her hand, the one he gave to her after silencing Carlotta. It was the most perfect, most flawless rose he could find. It almost was like it grew to match his angel's beauty.

''…You don't understand…''

'' I know this is hard… I wish you wouldn't have to go through this. But I can't protect you if you don't let me. Kat you know I really want you to find someone you can love, who loves you back. But that's not him. Whatever he told you, whatever he made you believe… this isn't love. '' Erik's eyes narrow, the fear to loose her overpowered by the anger flaring up in him. His hands curl to fists so tight his knuckles ache under the pressure. How can this man dare to question his love for Kathrine? How can he dare manipulate her into believing him! He will make sure he pays for every single word that left the scholar's lips, for every touch he dared to lay upon his angel and if it's the last thing he does. Erik almost growls as he watches how the scholar pulls Kathrine into a soft embrace. How can Kathrine not stop him? How can she let this happen? Did he not prove himself to her countless times in the past week? Did he not do everything he could to make her happy? To show her that he is worthy of her love? Why would she allow this man to embrace her like that, like he's a friend, perhaps her lover. Like he has the right to love and touch her.

The anger soon fades into pain and the feeling of betrayal. Erik closes his eyes as the scholar presses a tender kiss to the crown of her beautiful head, no longer able to watch the intimacy between them.

'' I'm so sorry Kat… But we have to go back now…'' They leave the roof and close the door. Once more he is left alone, forced to dwell in his misery. But this time it's different. Kathrine did not leave him because they had an argument, she left with that scholar because she believes him. She thinks he lied to her, she thinks he is not in love with her.

Erik's vision becomes blurry as tears well up in his eyes. Slowly he approaches the rose that was abandoned in the cold snow. He kneels before it and picks it up, turning it slowly to examine it. How could she just leave it here? He has sent the rose to her to let her know that she has to get ready and to wish her the best of luck. He meant to tell her that he loves her with this rose.

'' _I gave you my music… Made your song take wing… And now, how you've repaid me… Denied me and betrayed me…_ _'_ ' Its scent was as perfect as its appearance. But now that Kathrine abandoned it so carelessly it suddenly seems much less beautiful. It is almost funny. For a few seconds she could actually make him forget his horrible fate. But now that she slipped away from him he feels worse than ever before.

'' _He was born to love you, when he h_ _eard_ _you sing... Kathrine_ \- '' His voice breaks as he can no longer hold back the tears.

* * *

'' _You will curse the day you did not do, all that the Phantom asked of you!_ ''

Kat stops dead in her tracks the moment she hears his voice going through the Opera. Everything in her grows cold. Was he really there? Was he watching them?!

 _No, no that can't be. Please don't say he saw us…_

''…What did I do…'' She wants to run back to the roof and talk to him but Nathan stops her before she can take more than half a step back up and urges her to come along. Further down, further away from him.

'' Come on, you still have to go on stage…''

'' But- ''

'' It's okay. ''

* * *

A few days later Kat still didn't get the chance to talk to Erik. She wanted to sneak into the chapel or into her dressing room. She wanted to try the roof, wait until he might come by. But Nathan was on her like a blood-hound. And if he isn't on her heels Holly and Jessie are. Even though Holly was understanding at first, the new murder made her fear for Kat again. Kat tried to argue with her but it was useless. It's not that Holly wants to keep them apart completely but right now she is too nervous to leave her alone with Erik. Kat can't say for sure how much she drank in those 4 days. All she really knows is that Madam Giry has no idea about how Erik feels and that's killing her. Her body healed pretty well thanks to the care she took of it. She's not healthy again, of course not, but it's getting better. Which is good because her painkillers are slowly but surely at a limit. But how is Erik? He was hurt just as bad if not even worse. Did he take care of himself? Did he rest?

Right now all she can do is wait for the day to finally reach its end. Because tomorrow is the mask ball and she will finally have the chance to find him. Either at one of their places or if she has to in his home. Holly and Jessie go, Nathan goes too. Kat will not go, for obvious reasons. That means she will finally be alone


	14. Chapter 13 - Masquerade

**Chapter** **13** **:** Masquerade

* * *

'' Miss Jones? '' Kat, Holly, Jessie and Meg stop as they hear the voice of Madam Giry behind them. They just came back from town and wanted to go up to Holly and Kat's room. Meg abruptly straightens a little, her head bowing down respectfully. But the general attention is soon on something else. The carton in Madam Giry's hands is black, like it's material originally was simple paper before it was wrapped up in black silk. A dark red band holds it close, the endings are forming a beautiful ribbon on the top of the carton. They all know from who that thing is.

'' I shall give you this. '' Kat's lips turn into a soft smile as she gratefully accepts the present. The carton is light and feels soft in her hands so that her fingers instinctively brush over the material.

'' Thank you…'' With a soft smile in return Madam Giry nods her head and leaves the 4 friends to themselves. Kat exchanges a look with the others before grinning madly and making a run for her room. She throws herself onto her bed and just as she places the box before her, Holly, Meg and Jessie run in behind her. Kat nods for them to close the door. As soon as everyone's gathered around her on the bed, she carefully opens the ribbon and pulls the lid off. The first thing she sees is the beautiful red rose with that familiar black ribbon attached to it. Her lips turn into a smile as she picks the rose up and holds it to her nose to breathe in its sweet scent. This one she'll keep on the small cabinet next to her bed. As soon as she realized that she dropped the other rose, it was too late. She found it crushed on the roof.

'' Well isn't someone romantic. '' Jessie says with a teasing smirk. Kat swats his shoulder and hands the rose to Holly before taking the mask that is on top of the red and black pile of clothing. The mask itself is made of a rather firm but light material. It has the shape of a cat so that the endings on both sides look like ears. The mask is black but has small fake-diamonds worked into it-

'' Oh my gosh are these real?! '' Holly suddenly screams next to her while allowing her fingers to move over the small diamonds. Jessie almost chokes on his own spit,

'' Holy hell…'' Kat stares at the diamonds for a moment.

 _Real. Of course they're real. How could I actually think he would put in anything else? I should know better. Well… fuck me._

The eyes of the mask look like there was makeup put into them, defining eyeliner and eyebrows which are separated with an order of the small diamonds. Kat smiles at the beautiful mask and places it on the bed next to the carton. She stares at the fabric of whatever the thing in the carton is for a few seconds before finally reaching out for it. Holly's, Meg's and Jessie's mouths drop open in union as Kat pulls a beautiful, expensive looking red and black gown out of the box. The color is rich, almost royal. The fabric must have been very expensive. A dress like that surely costs a small fortune. And yet Kat doubts that he bought it. The fabric, maybe, but the dress itself was made by him. She can almost see the effort and the heart he put into it. It has a wide expanding ruffled skirt with several sections that seem to be secured with small pins. The skirt's color is divided messily into two halves, one black one red. The upper part of the dress looks like it would hug her curves similar like a corset but not as tight. At the back are laces that let on it is at least very close to a corset. She smiles, did he do that because of her distaste for corsets pressing the air out of her? The area around the breasts has a thicker layer of fabric and a black brooch attached to it what makes the second layer look somewhat like a bow tie. The brooch has the form of a black rose. Like the skirt, the upper part is divided into black and red but the colors switched sides.

'' A dress in Harley Quinn style, a Cat-mask…'' Her eyes move to Holly. She's still scared but definitively stunned. She doesn't even look up at Kat, her eyes are only on the dress.

'' You really gotta keep the bloke. '' Jessie mutters.

'' Kat... where did he get that? You do not find dresses like that here. '' Meg asks silently. Kat's smile grows a little wider as she allows her fingers to slide over the soft fabric,

'' Will you believe me if I tell you he made that himself? '' Out of the corners of her eyes she sees Meg nodding.

* * *

'' There's a letter. '' Jessie swallows hard as he feels his throat going dry. He knew it, Mister Williams is too worried about her. That guy's mad about his friend. He wouldn't hurt her badly and even if he would try, Kat would have him down within a second. She's in love with him, no doubt of that, but she's not stupid. Mister Williams sees her too much as a victim in this whole thing. Hell, Jessie was furious as he saw Kat the first time. But if there's someone here that can take care of herself its her. Kat softly places he dress on the bed and picks up the letter at the bottom of the carton. Jessie glances over her shoulder, his eyes scrunching in confuse, did that guy actually write her in Spanish? He makes her dresses, gives her real diamonds and speaks frikkin Spanish? Who's that bloke? Frikkin Yoda?

* * *

Mi querido ángel de la música,

I do hope the dress appeals to you and that I measured its size correctly. Please see this gift as an invitation to the Masquerade Ball tonight.

Por favor, perdóname por última vez. Te extraño.

(My dear angel of music. - Please forgive me one last time. I miss you)

'' What does that mean? '' She leans back against Jessie and stares down at the note. She can't believe he actually wrote in Spanish to her. That little fucker knows her weak spot and he's using that. He probably sat at his small desk while he wrote that, a glass of wine next to him and that arrogant little smirk on his lips because he knew that writing in both languages would melt her. His eyes probably wandered over the dress several times to make sure each detail is exactly how he wants it to be. He's a perfectionist after all. Still, how did he get this done in only a few days? Did he even sleep? Did he make that dress before and just didn't get the chance to ask her if she wants to go to the ball while she was with him?

Still, she can't help the warm feeling in her. It doesn't take long before a goofy grin twists her face.

'' Now look at that, our Kat's all dreamy. Do we leave her in that state? '' Jessie's voice breaks her out of her state and her eyes move first to him before focusing with a glare on Holly as she smirks,

'' I dunno. Can her heart take that level on emotion? '' Kat kicks her friend with only little force and growls,

'' Shut up you two. ''

'' Well he is romantic. And really sweet. '' Holly admits. Meg nods shyly,

'' Even though I fear him… I realize now that he loves you…'' Kat feels her body freezing, her heart beating. It's obvious, yes. She tries to act on those feelings, yes. Hearing them? Admitting them out loud without any alcohol or drugs? Hardly. Luckily Holly quickly picks up on her change,

'' Yeah everyone does. The others ship you two harder than you ship yourself with Catwoman. '' She smirks but raises then her eyebrow at Holly,

'' Is that possible? ''

'' Show them the dress your boyfriend made you, wait for their reaction and ask that again. '' Jessie answers, Kat nudges him with her elbow,

'' He's not my boyfriend. ''

'' Future husband then? Father of your children? '' Kat gags,

'' No. ''

'' 50 bucks he's gonna knock you up and you love it. ''

'' I'm going to fucking castrate you Jessie. ''

'' Fine but you'll explain that to my girlfriend. ''

'' I'm sure she's glad for it. No worries about buying birth control. Just fucking like the rabbits. ''

'' I'm sure Phantom-Boy 's gonna fuck you like a rabbit too. '' Suddenly Kat leans back with a frustrated groan. Holly laughs but shakes her head, Meg seems confused.

'' Sensitive topic. He didn't even kiss her yet. ''

'' Yeah well. He's a gentleman, what do you expect? Meg, tell her that's normal. ''

'' Actually…'' Meg looks to the side slightly ashamed. Kat groans again,

'' I knew it! Damn… He's a gentleman, yeah. But he's a psycho too. Why can't he be a little more direct? I know he wants to. I would be totally fine with a little more… activity. '' Holly titles her head at her friend while Meg becomes slightly red. Jessie smirks at the younger girl.

'' How do you think will he react when you tell him you're a sex-driven ex-Escort? ''

'' Escort? '' Meg asks and Kat shrugs,

'' I was an Escort for a summer to be able to pay for this. But I just had, like, 23 clients. Does that even count? '' Would Meg be a bomb that comes closer to detonation the redder she becomes, they'd have to throw her out of the window now.

'' Sure does. Especially considering that you would keep that job up if it weren't for your new boyfriend. ''

'' Well the job's fun and the payment was amazing. Not to forget that this job is a lot easier than a real relationship. I can play the girlfriend, I can't be one. ''

'' Play the girlfriend? '' Kat's not sure if Meg really wants to know or if this was more some kind of question that got out of her because of her shock.

'' Some people have a lot of money, not a lot of time but the urge to have a little romance in their lives. So they hire women they can pay for that. They either go for Sugar Babes or for Escorts. I tried the Sugar Daddy thing but in the end I didn't really like it. ''

'' And what did you do then? '' Meg chirps, obviously not sure if she really wants the answer. This is more than she expected. Of course she heard some of these things from the other girls in the Opera too but hearing this from her friend is different. Kat shrugs,

'' Watching movies, cuddling, sometimes they weren't even up for sex… They'd bring me a present and I give them a massage. We pretend we're a love-sick couple. We'd make dinner and chat over all kinds of stuff. ''

'' That sounds…''

'' Too nice to be the work of a prostitute? An Escort is a little more… extravagant. More expensive, too. I didn't stand around on the street and got into some stranger's car. I had an agent who checked the clients to make sure they're trustworthy and who made sure I'm fine. Man she will be pissed when I tell her I quit…''

* * *

'' Guys…''

'' What? ''

'' I don't have any shoes. '' Holly glances at Meg,

'' Is the store we were in still open? '' Meg nods with a smile. Not even one hour later they're back in the Opera. Kat picked a simple but noble pair of black silk shoes with an 8 centimeter heel.

* * *

The entrance Hall of the Opera is beautifully decorated. Most of the Opera is but the main event is in the hall. Jessie waited in front of Kat's and Holly's door to pick them up. Of course the dress fits Kat perfectly. Holly even asked if Erik secretly took her measures while she was sleeping. Kat honestly couldn't answer that question because honestly, this really is the kind of thing he would do. Sweet outcome, creepy way. Of course, he can feel her up in her sleep but as soon as she's awake he can't even kiss her.

The closer the 3 graduates come to the hall, the more nervous Kat gets. And the glances that she gets from everyone passing by are really not helping. Right in front of it Kat has to stop for a moment and lean against the wall to take a few deep breathes. She got her pills this morning but this is one of those occasions where those pills don't mean zip.

Holly and Jessie stop the moment they notice that she went missing. The only reason she's here is because Erik will be too. And maybe that's the only thing that keeps her legs from giving out entirely. She's here for him, because he will meet her here. He asked her if she could forgive him one last time. How could she say no? Kat grits her teeth and slowly pushes her body off the wall. Holly holds her hand out to her which Kat gladly accepts before hooking her arms into the ones of her friends. Being in the middle really has something calming because if she faints now she'll not hit the ground.

Kat wasn't on something like this in years. She tried to visit the 18th birthday of Jessie and only managed to stay for a few hours because she was so pumped with uppers that she easily could have been convinced that Elephants do tap-dance in their free time. She has no uppers with her right now. There's a pressure on her ears, a beeping soon follows.

As soon as Kat enters the hall she notices the amazing decoration and the amazingly large number on people in here. She halts as more and more eyes stop on her. Kat looks around and feels a small sting of anger running through her. Why did he make her this kind of dress if he knew everyone was dressed, while pompous, in rather inconspicuous colors? Because he knew she would like it, probably. And yet the attention everyone's giving her and the small whispers going into her direction give her more of an uncomfortable feeling than anything else. A look to André and Firmin is what really sends a shudder down her back though. Those shocked expressions. They know. They know that Erik made the dress for her. Their eyes make contact, neither of them breaking the contact.

'' Whoa…'' Kat breaks out of the trance as she sees Fiona walking up to her while checking her out. Others of her class soon follow and within a few seconds Kat finds herself surrounded. She can't remember ever feeling this glad to see them. Right now they give her mind something familiar and that's good.

'' Kat where did you find that! '' Andrea asks with wide eyes. Emily's nodding next to her, her full lips in shape of a small 'o'.

'' Oh my god Kat you look amazing! ''

'' Thanks. ''

'' Your boyfriend? '' Josh asks with a smirk and a wiggle of his eyebrows. Kat gives him a look but sighs then. It's not like there would be any use in hiding that. They went to town too a lot, they would know if there was a dress like this somewhere there. Andrea smiles,

'' Don't worry, we got it. ''

* * *

'' Kat, where did you get that dress? '' Kat's eyes close a moment. What can she tell him? He's not in the best mood since Kat told him to stay out of her way yesterday. On the roof she allowed him to talk her into her fears but not now. Right now, for the first time, Kat will not listen to her friend. She will listen to her fucked up chaotic mind and her screwed up heart. Mister Williams glares her down. He knows where she got it. He knows that she knows that he knows that she got it from Erik. But he can't proof it and that's what Kat will use right now.

'' I found it in town. '' His eyes narrow a little more, his voice growing tensed,

'' Really. ''

'' Yeah, we were with her. '' Emily says before Kat has the chance to open her mouth. She tries her best not to give the woman next to her a confused and surprised glance. Instead she sees how Fiona and Josh nod,

'' We picked it up with her. ''

'' I didn't think they sell something like this here. '' His voice is still full with doubt. Andrea laughs,

'' Yeah we were totally laughing as we saw it. '' Mister Williams gives each a skeptical glance but obviously realizes that he lost the round so he leaves. Kat watches how he goes back to some woman and she can't help the smirk.

 _20 bucks he's flirting with her. She's exactly his type. Maybe she'll will keep him busy… C'mon, be a hussy, go take him home with you so that I can be a hussy too and go home with Erik._

'' Thank you. '' Kat turns to her class and smiles with every ounce of gratitude she can bring up.

'' We got you covered. ''

'' Tell your boyfriend he did a great job. ''

'' Oh trust me I doubt he will miss the opportunity to have you tell him yourself. ''

'' You mean he's coming here? ''

'' I think so. ''

'' No offense but I think you better tell him. ''

'' Yeah… he's cute with you and all and you two together are adorable but…''

'' He's kind of scary. ''

'' I know. I don't know why he…'' Kat begins but trails off. Andrea shakes her head,

'' Hey you don't have to apologize for his mistake. ''

'' I'm not apologizing for the murder or his mistakes. I just… I have no idea _why_ he killed Buquet. ''

'' Didn't you talk to him yet? After we heard him yelling through the Opera we thought you had another fight. ''

'' No we didn't talk since I came back. ''

'' That's why you're here! Now I get it! He got you the dress and now you want to meet up here! ''

'' In that case we'll leave you alone. Wouldn't want him to go again, right? '' Kat's mouth drops open slightly as the others quickly leave. Holly laughs,

'' Told you, they ship you. ''

'' Wow. ''

'' Well at least they think you're cute together. ''

'' Holly… how do they know… what we are like together- '' Suddenly Kat breaks off as she realizes why they've been looking at her like that the past weeks.

'' You fuckin' bastards…! You were all spying after me?! _All of you_!? '' Kat's mouth is wide open, her rising anger makes Holly and Jessie slowly leave. Right now Kat's ready to kill them in the dress and sell the blood as a print!

'' Oh hey there's Meg we better go tell her we're there! Look there's drinks, Kat why don't you get one I'm sure you'll feel better after one! '' Kat's eye twitches as Jessie nods,

'' Be generous with yourself, get two! Bye! '' Both leave her quickly, Kat follows them a few steps,

'' Quédate aqui y te arranco la cabeza! '' (Come back so that I can rip your heads off) She stops going after them as she notices a few people staring at her. Kat clenches her teeth and makes her way to the drinks. Alcohol, she needs more alcohol.

 _I'm gonna be an alcoholic before this trip ends…_

'' You look good. '' She stops the glass at her lips and turns her head to the side. Nathan leans down to her a little. Kat's lips turn into a smirk as she winks at him,

'' So do you, really attractive. Even though I think I prefer Suits over Tuxedos. I'm more a fan of ties than bow ties, at least in combo with the rest. Other than that I'm all Eleventh Doctor. ''

'' Ties are easier to knot than bow ties. '' He smirks at her a moment. He really does look attractive, no wonder that woman likes him. Kat always liked his green-ish eyes and his striking face-form. His body's not that bad either for a teacher in his early 40s. The tuxedo's gray, a white undershirt and a black bow tie. Very handsome.

'' _He_ gave it to you, didn't he. The dress. '' Her grip on the glass instantly tightens as she takes a sip.

'' I have no idea what you're talking about. I told you I found it in a small shop in town. The others even confirmed that, what more do you want? ''

'' Kat- '' She shakes her head places the now empty glass on the table with a little too much force,

'' _Mister_ _Williams_. I think your company's missing you. You should go back to her. '' He glares her down silently for a few moments. After a while he sighs and places a hand on her shoulder, giving her a reassuring squeeze,

'' Just be careful, okay? ''

'' Go get her tiger. '' She punches his arm softly but turns then on her heels to quickly walk back to Holly and Jessie.

'' Everything okay? '' Kat glances over her shoulder back at her teacher to find him starring after her only a moment longer before turning back to the woman from before. She sighs, her stomach clenching slightly but she nods anyway,

'' Yeah. He's not happy but he'll survive. ''

'' Did you tell him that the Phantom made the dress? '' Holly asks. Jessie shrugs,

'' Doesn't matter. He knows anyway. ''

'' I didn't confirm it but… yeah. He knows. I think he's trying to accept this. If nothing bad happens he might warm up to the idea to leave me alone. ''

'' C'mon, every daddy has his issues with the fact that his little girl is having her first boyfriend. ''

'' Yeah well he never had any problems with me _fucking_ _strangers_. ''

'' That's different. You think about staying here with Erik. Before you at least always spoke to him. You turned up to lessons and then you stayed in to talk to him. ''

'' What makes you think I consider staying? ''

'' What, are you not? ''

'' I'm… not sure. -Where's Meg? ''

'' Oh right! Grab another glass, the show's about to begin. Meg said they practiced in private to make it somewhat a surprise for us and the other guests. '' Kat's brows furrow but she does what she's told and takes another glass. The show Jessie was talking about soon begins and every person that works in the Opera gathers on the stairs to sing a song and dance. In between of the song people are allowed to step in and dance along. It's not that hard of a choreography. Kat loosens up a little while the show but she rather sticks to the side instead of dancing alone. She notices Carlotta and Piangi in the front, both obviously happy with each other and with the current situation. Carlotta was… not that great of a company after her voice was manipulated and Kat had to jump in. It's not like Kat can blame the woman for her anger. She even left the same alcohol Carlotta brought Kat with flowers and a 'sorry' written on the bottle in her dressing room. Kat wasn't really sure how or if to approach her. She has to admit though, the diva looks great in the dress. The smile works much better on her than the bitchy-pout. Piangi is rather chubby what doesn't change the fact that he's got a very handsome face and him and Carlotta look really neat together. When Jessie, Holly and Kat spot Meg and Madam Giry they blend in next to them,

'' You look amazing! '' Kat yells at both.

'' You too! Kat that dress looks wonderful on you! '' Kat and Madam Giry exchange a small glance. Kat smirks widely, Madam Giry more or less hidden behind the fan in her hand. Their attention turns to the people that stayed on the stage as they continue their song,

'' _Masquerade! Paper faces on parade! Masquerade! Hide your face so the world will never find you. Masquerade! Every face a different shade! Masquerade! Look around, there's another mask behind you!_ '' Kat laughs as she spots Monsieur Reyer dancing along very enthusiastic while leading the orchestra. He's one of the people Kat really likes in this Opera. He's sarcastic and has a rather stern but funny humor. Kat laughed a lot at his retorts over rehearsals. There was no opportunity for her to talk to him yet but she plans on catching up to that soon.

 _''_ _Masquerade!_ _B_ _urning glances, turning heads! Masquerade! Stop and stare at the sea of smiles around you! Masquerade! Grinning yellows, Spinning reds! Masquerade! Take your fill, let the spectacle astound you…_ '' Suddenly the lights flicker and most of the candles are blown out, causing the crowd to trail off in their singing. Only a single path is still lit with candles, showing a man in red, royal clothing with a mask on his face that reminds on a skull. A sword is attached to the belt around his hips, a long, red cape falls down his back and covers the floor like blood. Most people close to him abruptly press their backs against the railing of the stairs before running out of the way completely. At first people are screaming but soon a pressing silence fills the room as every eye comes to a halt on the Phantom of the Opera.

Kat can feel most people throwing her side glances and even those of her class that defended her seem to step back in caution. Not that she could blame them, a little caution is probably the best with him. He might not hurt her but he _is_ nuts. Still, he could have picked a less dramatic entrance and maybe try to blend in with the crowd a little instead of getting every eye on him again. She didn't get all dolled up just so that this can end in another disaster. Kat's eyes move to her teacher for a second, he's standing his ground, not backing off but not taking any step closer either. He's afraid of Erik like everyone else in the room is. Erik completely ignores him, as well as her, while stepping down the stairs slowly. His back is straight, his chin up but his eyes move with a certain mockery over the crowd. He's acting like a King looking down at the peasants that aren't worth more than dirt to him.

 _That man has only two emotional states: the Bow-Down-Bitch-I'm-The-King-attitude and the I'm-A-Worthless-Piece-Of-Trash-attitude. I should tell him that a healthy middle actually exists. Even though… I have to admit this one does make him very attractive… Especially right now…_

'' Well, mark me scared and horny. '' Kat mutters to herself and Jessie snorts in the attempt to cover his laugh.

No one in the room can deny that he looks extremely handsome in that outfit. If she wouldn't know better she would believe that he's some Royal without any second of doubt. The next thing she notices is that the colors of her dress and the red of his clothing work perfectly with each other. Of course, he couldn't stop himself from making a point with the dress. She should have seen that coming.

She moves a step closer but his eyes never halt on her. The crowd around him behaves as if he's a wolf ready to tear them apart. Erik really look a little lost in his mania but Kat doubts he's here to harm anyone. There's a leather folder in his hand but it's too far away for Kat to be able to see any details.

'' _Why so silent good Messieurs? Did you think that I have left you for good?_ '' Her eyes move to the two managers of the Opera. André looks more scared than anything, Firmin tries to hide some of that behind anger but he's not doing a really convincing job. Silently the young woman wonders if they ever tired to reason with him or if all they really did was trying to do their own thing instead of working out some terms. For them it seems to be either doing everything he says or shutting him out completely. Erik might be a psycho but he has his reasonable side. Deep down. Behind a big ego and a lot of stubbornness. On second thought Kat sees their point…

'' _Have you missed me good Messieurs?_ _''_

 _Is that supposed to be a fun-question?_

'' _I have written you an_ _O_ _pera! Here I bring the finished score: Don Juan Triumphant!_ '' He throws the leather map with the many sheets in front of the two managers and draws his sword. Kat's teeth grit, maybe he should refrain from bringing weapons like that with him. You never take real guns to Comic Con either, it's a No-Go. The few that stood their ground before shy back too, the fear increasing in everyone's face.

 _Honestly, he's one guy with a toothpick. Somebody just has to step on that cape of his and he probably ends up stabbing himself in his fall._

While Erik looks around proudly and enjoys the fear in everyone's eyes, Kat takes another step closer, playing with the thought to speak up, tell him to stop before something bad happens. Instead she watches how the Phantom places the blade in his gloved hand, allowing his eyes to move along the shining steel for a moment,

'' _Fondest greetings to you all, a few instructions just before rehearsal starts.._.'' He slowly approaches Carlotta, a look of mockery in his eyes as she freezes on the blade that's suddenly close to her face. Kat swallows hard, he seems a little too enthusiastic while pointing the weapon at the Diva. She's annoying but the younger woman can't really say that she is a bad person. Just a spoiled, rich lady with too much 'yes' and little 'no' in her life.

'' _Carlotta must be taught to act! Not her normal trick of stuttering_ _'_ _round the stage._ '' Kat slaps her hand against her forehead as Erik wiggles his blade around in the feathers of Carlotta's head, stabbing around in them. Piangi gently pushes Carlotta out of the way and steps between them but Erik doesn't really seem interested in that. Before the leading singer can make another move, Erik pokes the blade into his stomach, forcing him to instantly halt,

'' _Our Don Juan must lose some weight. It's not healthy for a man in Piangi's age..._ '' Kat titles her head, a look of disapproval on her face as she sees the taunt in Erik's eyes while Carlotta glances at her offended husband with worry. Obesity might not be healthy but what Erik's doing here is plain humiliation. The man in charge doesn't care one bit about the fact that he just offended and threatened two people though. With a sharp turn on his heels he now opens his arms in another gesture of taunt as he looks at Firmin and André,

'' _And my_ _M_ _anagers must learn that their place is in an_ office! '' With a quick movement of his arm the blade stops only millimeters before André's face, causing the smaller man to take a step back in caution, his eyes wide. Kat bites her lip and takes another step closer. She knows she's out of the crowd by now and there's people glancing at her.

'' _Not the arts..._ '' While Firmin still tries to stand his ground, he too leans back as Erik moves to blade into his face.

'' Okay stop. '' Erik's hand instantly freezes as Kat finally moves closer until she's only a few steps away from the stairs, her eyes slightly narrowed in both annoyance and the simple plead for him to stop. People are afraid of him already, he doesn't have to completely frighten them to death.

'' That's enough…'' She adds softly. If he really wants to work with others and live among others he has to realize he can't just do things like that. It not like she wants him to change entirely but there are things he can't keep up. This is one of them. Her eyes move to the sword for a second before moving back to his eyes even though they are not meeting hers. Out of habit she pushes her hip out, crosses her arms over her chest and arches an eyebrow at him,

 _If you wiggle that thing around in my face too I'm going to punch you…_

'' _As for our star, Miss_ _Kathrine Jones_ _.._.'' His mockery almost changes into a purr as he finally turns to face her, putting away the sword in the same motion. So he's not planning to threaten her. Kathrine breathes out softly. His eyes only meet hers for a second before he looks around in the room again to make sure he's got everyone's attention.

 _What is he doing?_

'' _No doubt she'll do her best. It's true, her voice is good. She knows, though, should she wish to excel... She has much still to learn._ _If_ _pride will let her return to me,_ _h_ _er teacher!_ '' His hand balls to a fist as he puts it against his chest, looking around as if to make a point. As if to make sure even the people that are only here for the party know that it was him that made a singer out of her. She planned to agree to try this relationship-thing, yes. No, she did not plan it like this. But hey, you take what you can get.

* * *

Finally he rests his eyes upon her. His angel of music looks marvelous in every way. The wig she has to wear for the performances is missing, revealing the wild red and black hair on her head. Through the wide cut on the neck he can see the tattoo on her chest and the muscle in her neck. Her collarbones are dancing under her skin with each breathe she takes. Kathrine put a new ring through her lip, a ring with a skull. These things never affected her angelic being in any way. The wildness makes her more of a goddess than an angel and yet her kind and open personality will always remind him of something purer. Her hair works, of course, perfectly with her dress. He put hours of work into it to make it perfect in every detail. To make sure it matches with his own so that anyone can see that she belongs to him. He worked on it every time she slept with the intention to surprise her. But he never got the chance to ask her about the ball. So instead he used the dress as an apology, a silent plead to accept him again. But she is here. She accepted his gift. She chose to forgive him once more. Even the scholar should realize by now that he cannot come between them. His head titles to the side faintly. He knew it, the moment he lays his eyes upon her he cannot bring himself to look away again. There's anger on Kathrine's face and Erik knows it is mostly directed at him because of what he just did but she will learn. Realize that he has to make sure those people know their place in his Opera.

'' _Her teacher.._.'' His singing changes into a whisper of awe as he falls into a warm trance. The rage he felt as he made previous instructions leaves his body at once. How could he stay mad with this beautiful angel in front of him? The dress hugs her well-trained, feminine curves perfectly. The gloves that reach her elbows are not from him but it is giving the wildness a more noble touch. She chose this small add perfectly. Out of the corner of his eyes he sees Kathrine's friends looking at her but he barely focuses on them, or on anyone else for that matter. The only thing Erik sees, feels, hears… is the woman in front of him whose anger also seems to fade with every passing second. He takes a step down, feeling unable to hold still under her glance. The mask is giving her face such an elegant look, the slight cat-shape was an idea he had as he thought back at her rage.

* * *

'' Will you return to me, my angel of music? '' His voice is low, barely loud enough for her to hear. Suddenly she can feel every eye on her. In the back of her mind she wonders why her teacher didn't try to interfere yet. Maybe it's for the sword on Erik's hip, maybe he trusts her, if just for tonight. Maybe it's because everyone can see the sincerity and the emotion in Erik's eyes. His eyes are pleading for her to move, to accept him in her life despite the birth defect on his face. To forgive him for what happened, for what he did. How can a man be so handsome and so insecure about himself at the same time? With little hesitation she sets one foot in front of the other, slowly walking to the stairs. As soon as she takes the first step, he starts moving too, too nervous to wait for her. They meet in the middle but stop one step away from each other. His eyes have something on them that almost causes her to drop her glance just to be able to force down the light feeling in her stomach, the flutter of her heart.

Could she live in this world? At his side as a wife with a child at some point? No. She can't be a wife or a mother. She can't imagine going through 9 months of pregnancy and having to take care of a child. This is not her and not even her love to Erik could change that fact. But staying with him? She would sacrifice everything she has for that.

Erik holds his hand out to her and she abruptly lays hers into his with a soft smile. Suddenly he kneels down on one knee in front of her, her hand still in both of his. Her eyes widen slightly as he presses a tender kiss to her knuckles, lingering a moment longer on the tiny scars. Like he remembers them exactly even though they are hidden by the gloves. She didn't think he would ever do something like that in public. Maybe he forgot the people around them by now, maybe in his mind he's back in his layer with her. She doesn't care where he is, all she cares about is that no one interrupts this moment right now. Not while he's opening up like that. Not while he seems to finally understand that she's willing to openly show herself with him. His head titles back up so that he can look at her properly. His eyes have a look of pure happiness in them.

'' Kathrine, may I ask for a dance? '' Her smile drops instantly and her eyes widen.

 _Did he really forget where we are?_

'' W-what? Now? H-here? '' He gives her a reassuring, charming smile,

'' You are a wonderful dancer. ''

'' I had a good teacher. '' Their eyes never break contact as he rises back to his feet. As soon as she realizes that he's trying to lead her into the middle of the room she holds him back and steps in close to him to whisper harshly,

'' Erik you interrupted a thing here. Not even a week ago you _killed_ someone. You were _threatening_ people just now. You can't- ''

'' I can. And I will. Permit me one dance. '' He starts of harsh, dominant. But his voice becomes softer.

 _Dominant. Damn… that really works with him. Am I breathing?_

'' But everyone's looking. ''

'' That is the point. The dress, this evening… All I wanted is to share a dance with you in front of everyone that attends. Should you take me back… -I want to show everyone that you belong with me, Kathrine. I am too proud to have you by my side to keep it a secret…''

'' Erik…'' She trails off as she sees her classmates urging her with wild movements of their arms to dance with him. Like roused mothers that try to get their daughters married. Her shy expression drops and turns into a flushed glare as she flips them off with her free hand.

 _Are there people giggling right now?_

'' Kathrine. '' His voice is scolding, causing her to instantly drop her hand. She winces as more giggling reaches her ears.

 _Stop fucking giggling, this isn't funny! He's a murderer! A bloody murderer! God damn it, people here are easy._

'' I-I can't. We can't dance, not now. ''

'' But why not? Am I… misunderstanding you? Do you want me to leave- '' She shakes her head and quickly closes the gap again that he got between them, her free hand placing over his heart to feel it beating wildly in excitement.

'' No. No it's not that I'm just… really nervous right now. ''

'' And you have never been more adorable. ''

'' Shut up. I'm anxious, that's not adorable. '' Out of the corner of her eyes she sees André and Firmin looking at them with their mouths open.

 _What, just cause I got the balls to tell him to shut up?! -Oh my god can they hear what we're saying?!_

'' I am right here with you… No one can harm you. '' Kat looks back up at Erik, his voice soothes her racing pulse a little. How does he do that? He's not hexing the anxiety away but… she believes him that, as long as he's there, she's safe. Her defense slowly crumbles and he can see that. Without her really noticing he leads her further into the room. Only as they stand in the middle she realizes where they are. Her eyes widen as she looks around. Everyone's starring at them. Out of instinct Kat lowers her head, her teeth sink into her lip, her piercing against her teeth. Her eyes open as Erik puts two fingers under her chin to gently make her look up at him. Suddenly a soft music begins to play. Kat turns her head to see Monsieur Reyer leading the orchestra with a soft smile on his lips but his eyes never move to them. She almost groans.

 _Brilliant, out of all people here the guy_ _making the_ bloody _music has to ship us too…_

Her eyes move back to him as she feels how he gives her hand a gentle squeeze. The smile on his lips and the confident look in his eyes is enough to melt every ounce of resistance in her. Slowly the edges of her mouth turn into a smile,

'' I double dare you to let me fall…'' Erik's smile widens at her words while she steps closer to him.

'' Never. '' His other hand gently places itself on her hip while she allows hers to drop on his shoulder, curling her fingers into the material of his costume a little in desperation. As soon as Erik makes the first step she finds herself following swiftly. Their eyes never look away from each other as they gently sway through the room. Maybe that's the only thing that allows her legs to not turn into pudding.

'' My dear, am I noting a reddening of your cheeks? '' His voice is low enough to only allow her to hear him. She looks around briefly,

'' Everyone's starring at us. ''

'' I cannot blame them, they are in awe at your beauty… just as I am. ''

'' No, they're afraid you drop a curtain on them. '' He gives her such a perfect bitch-look that she has to stop herself from laughing loud right there,

'' Kathrine, will you ever let this go? '' She shrugs,

'' Probably not. '' Slowly her confidences rebuilds itself somewhat. Kat focuses on his eyes, on the music. Not on the people around them,

'' You look quite handsome yourself you know. Edgar Allen Poe reference by any chance? '' The smile at her compliment quickly changes into surprise.

'' _The figure was tall and gaunt, and shrouded from head to foot in the habiliments of the grave. The mask which concealed the visage was made so nearly to resemble the countenance of a stiffened corpse that the closest scrutiny must have had difficulty in detecting the cheat_ _._ '' He quotes the famous part smoothly, his rough voice harmonizing perfectly with the lyrics. Kat keeps her own voice low,

'' _And now was acknowledged the presence of the Red Death. He had come like a thief in the night._ _And one by one dropped the revellers_ _in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel, and died each in the despairing posture of his fall._ '' The corners of Erik's mouth twitch as he looks down at her proudly,

'' Very good. '' The music becomes a tad faster and they abruptly comply. Erik uses the chance to spin her swiftly out of his arms before leading her back into them. She titles her head,

'' You know you can't always threaten people. If you want them to accept you, you can't point a sword at them. ''

'' I was merely making my point clear. ''

'' You're talented with words, try to use that instead of physical threats. Notice how no one tries to stop us or call the police? '' His eyes move around for a moment, he nods.

'' That's because you show your human side. They are afraid of the Phantom, not of Erik. ''

'' A little fear is never misplaced. ''

'' I'm not saying you have to play Santa and hand out free candy- Well except to me. Just don't threaten people you can dialog with. ''

'' If you wish, I will try to be… a little nicer to them in the future. ''

'' Thank you. '' He spins her again, softly leading him out of his arms before drawing her back into them. His arm wraps a littler more around her waist, pulling her closer. It instantly relaxes her. His scent, his body, his voice and his eyes. Would this be the right moment to tell him she decided to allow this feeling to grow?

'' I didn't thank you for the dress…'' She begins carefully. He smiles at her and squeezes her hand gently,

'' Your presence is gratitude enough for me. And this dance is more than I could ever be asking for- '' He breaks off as she steps up on her toes to press a chaste kiss to the wrinkle of his mouth that is visible beneath the mask. She can hear a gasp or two around them. Both of them never miss a step. Even though Erik does seem more than surprised at her gesture of affection. She almost smiles as Monsieur Reyer uses the chance to give the music a little more kick. Erik's body seems to move on its own by now. He himself looks too shocked, but not in a negative way. Not at all. Slowly the song comes to an end and their motions slow down. When both of them halt, Erik holds onto her hand and bows before her, his lips once more gently pressing onto the back of her hand.

'' Stay with me Kathrine…'' She smiles.

* * *

'' Kat! '' The same moment Holly yells for Kathrine, Erik notices the intruders close to them. Before she can answer him, let alone open her mouth, Erik quickly puts her behind him and draws his sword. His eyes narrow as he holds his arm out to make sure Kathrine stays behind him. 3 sergeants have their guns pointed directly at Erik, an Inspector at the front. His eyes narrow at the arrogant look on the Inspector's face,

'' Do not make any rash movement, Phantom. You are surrounded. Every attempt to flee will lead to your intimidate execution! '' He can feel Kat leaning up to him,

'' I can take out 2 of them before they have the chance to shoot. '' Her voice is low, threatening. While he believes her that she might be able to take them out easily, he cannot risk that she puts herself into danger. He promised he would protect her, not send her onto the men that are not even interested in her.

'' Go to Madam. '' His voice is tensed. She freezes behind him. Before she can argue with him he faintly glances at her,

'' Kathrine do as I say. Go. '' He can almost _taste_ her disapproval. To his release Kathrine leaves his side to do what he told her. His eyes move to the scholar that stands behind the officer's. So it was him who once more caused the strife in his Opera. Erik smirks at him with every ounce of mock he has,

'' Did you never learn not to frighten a Ghost, Monsieur? '' Erik faintly sees Kathrine looking at the scholar too. Even though he only sees her through the corners of his eyes, the betrayal and hurt are clearly visible. The man only glares at Erik,

'' A psychopath would be more like it. ''

* * *

Kat's eyes widen as she hears Mister Williams talking back instead of the Inspector and slowly her eyes move from Erik to the threat. Suddenly Kat feels frozen to the spot. That's why he didn't interfere? Because he was calling the police on them!? Kat's veins fill with burning rage next to the pain of betrayal. She thought she could trust him. She thought he would trust her. Now he could be the reason for Erik's death! Her eyes widen slightly as the Inspector also pulls out a gun to point it at him. Erik has no chance against so many guns, not with his sword. Not even with a gun. He has to get away. She can almost see the gears spinning in his head. He needs something to get away, a distraction.

Kat's eyes shift to Meg and Madam Giry around her. Madam has her hand on Kat's arm, Meg has too. With a gasp loud enough for people around them to hear, Kat breaks down. Like she expected it, Meg abruptly screams and people begin to whisper. Not even half a second later she hears something exploding. The police starts their fire. Kat feels hands on her body, probably Meg and Madam Giry. Only as she hears something like the loud bang of a door, one of Erik's mechanisms, she sits up quickly to scan the area. Meg looks at her confused,

'' What…'' She winks at the younger girl. Meg groans. Madam Giry seems both released and amused. Her small distraction worked, Erik is gone and the police seems angry. Her release doesn't last long before the Inspector suddenly walks up to her, his eyes narrowed, his voice almost screaming at her,

'' Where did he go! '' Kat's expression stays cold, her voice emotionless as she slowly stands up,

'' I have no idea what you're talking about. ''

'' Do not lie to me, woman! We were informed that you and the Phantom are close! ''

'' Close? But how can one be close to a ghost, _Sir_ , except he is possessed? '' Suddenly he grabs her on her still slightly bruised throat. Kat only glares up at him with an arrogant expression,

'' Tell me. Where. He. Went. '' The man's burning up in anger. Has he already met Erik?

'' Why don't you ask a Witch board? '' Suddenly the hand on her throat pulls back and he aims to slap her across the face. Kat sees the move coming and quickly rises her arm to block his attack. She barely feels the hand connection with her wrist. She blocked more violent attacks like that, it's almost like the pain faded from that area. Kat steps close to him, her eyes narrowed dangerously, her voice low and slow to make sure he understands each word,

'' It is _not_ _smart_ to piss of someone who's _breaking_ _bones_ for a living. '' The man's eyes narrow even more at her. Before he can make another move, Madam Giry comes between them,

'' You would do wise, Monsieur, to stay down. '' Kat shudders at the threatening aura that comes from her.

'' She's an ally of the Phantom! ''

'' Ally or not she is a Diva of this Opera and what you are doing is against the law. '' The Inspector moves his glare back to Kat,

'' We will be back. '' With that he signals his men to follow him. As soon as they're out of sight, Kat breathes out. Madam Giry turns back to her and puts her hand on her shoulder,

'' I will escort you to your room. ''

'' Thanks. '' Their footsteps is the only noise that goes through the Opera. Not long after they left the hall they hear someone running up to them. Kat turns in the expectation that it would be Holly or Jessie or perhaps Meg but her eyes narrow again as she sees Nathan. She stops, waits for him to come closer.

'' Kat- '' The moment he's in front of her she slaps him. His body sways to the side from the hard hit but Kat quickly grabs him on his collar,

'' Fucking never come close to me again! '' She releases him and her and Madam Giry quickly leave his sight.

'' Did he make it away without getting hurt? ''

'' I am not sure… They fired into the smoke, I could not see well. It is a miracle they did not hurt any of the guests. '' Kat nods, her feet moving faster. She knows where the secret entrance in the kitchen is that leads her almost directly to the living room. Kat needs to make sure he's fine.

'' You cannot stay away for long. '' Madam Giry suddenly says next to her as Kat is about to enter the kitchen. The younger woman turns in surprise but smiles then,

'' I won't. '' While Madam makes sure that no one can come in, Kat quickly slips into the secret tunnel. Climbing the rather uneven rocks in the dress is harder than she thought and the tight space makes her really uncomfortable right now.

It takes a few minutes until she finally stands inside Erik's 'kitchen'. She breathes out released when she's out of that tight space. Without much hesitation she walks towards the room with the organ,

'' Erik?! ''

'' Kathrine. '' Her eyes widen. Just as she rounds the corner and steps out of the bedroom, he steps off the boat. She makes a small noise of release and quickly runs up to him. The moment she's close to him, she jumps into his arms. Kat's arms tightly wrap around his neck while his move around her waist,

'' I am so glad that you are well. '' Kat's eyes close at the rough sound of his voice,

'' I'm okay, don't worry. What about you? Are you- '' She pulls back to look at him and abruptly notices the part where a bullet brushed his shoulder. His costume is torn at that part and the bullet ripped open a rather thick gap in his flesh. Her eyes widen,

'' Fuck…'' Erik abruptly puts a hand on her cheek to make her look at him,

'' It is nothing. '' Kat shakes her head and grabs his hands to lead him to the bedroom,

'' C'mon I can stitch that. ''

'' You are completely incapable to do… anything that comes close to housework. '' At the mix of tease and genuine worry in his voice she turns to smirk at him,

'' I can't stitch pants but I _can_ stitch people. '' He makes no attempt to stop her as she goes into the bathroom to grab the first aid kit. She spotted it in the cabinet after she took her bath here. As soon as she's back at his side she puts everything onto the bed,

'' I don't have my stuff here… Sorry handsome, but your rubbing alcohol will have to do. ''

'' That is fine. '' Erik moves slowly in the attempt to shrug out of his jacket without hurting himself even more. As the fabric of the costume brushes the injury, he flinches and Kat takes his hands away,

'' Here, let me help…'' She helps him out of the jacket and the shirt quickly without touching the injury once. For a moment she allows herself to roam his bare upper body with her eyes. He's covered in scars in all kinds of sizes and severeness. She gasps. She saw some of the scars on his chest briefly as he wore that shirt that exposes almost all of his chest but for the first time Kat is directly confronted with the severe abuse Erik faced all through his life. They're so clearly there, she can see the difference between the whiplashes and the knifes that involved his childhood. Some scars appear to be younger than others, perhaps he hurt himself while building his home down here. As he told her everything that happened in her last night here, she cried silent tears. But to that time she could contain herself, be strong and not let him see how much his story affected her. She didn't want him to stop just because he thinks she might not want to hear it. But seeing the evidence on his body, seeing what was done to him all through his life… knowing _why_ it was done to him… Suddenly the tears are back and stinging in her eyes as her throat grows tight.

Then she sees them. The scratches on his shoulder that she caused. They're healing, there's thick scab over them. But they're another useless mark on his body and she was the reason for that.

Suddenly Kat sobs and Erik flinches back as if she burned him,

'' I am sorry… I should not have allowed you to see this. I will treat that injury myself- '' She presses another kiss to the wrinkle of his mouth before wrapping her arms around him tightly. Erik tenses as she allows her body to drop down in his lap so that she can bury her face in the crook of his neck. He can feel her tears on his skin, she knows it. And he's probably already blaming himself for 'forcing' her to bother herself with those scars too but she can't stop crying.

'' I'm sorry…- '' Her sobbing grows more violent and she's forced to stop talking. Erik's arms are loosely at his sides,

'' What? ''

'' I'm so sorry they did this to you…! It's wrong and horrible and disgusting and…- A-and nothing justifies that, _nothing_. You're such a wonderful person and they can't see it but I do and I'm just so sorry and sad and angry- '' Another sob forces her to break off once again. Erik stays still beneath her for a moment. Then, slowly, he wraps his arms around her shaking body, his hands moving up and down on her back in comfort,

''…I would go through all of it again… I will take whatever beating life has for me, whatever pain it forces onto me, all the shame and the suffering… as long as you are by my side. '' He whispers into her ear with his calm, deep voice while his scent calms her raging mind. Erik's embrace is warm and tender and for a moment Kat forgets how shitty their current situation is. She forgets that Nathan betrayed her, that Erik and her separated in a fight, that he killed someone just because he was angry. She forgets that this Inspector is on Erik like a bloodhound with the intention to lock him up, perhaps have him even executed or unmasked.

They stay in each others embrace for a long time. Enough time for Erik to comfortably lean his cheek on her head, enough for Kat's tears to dry. Enough for her to realize that she can't leave him as easily as she could leave everyone else.

Slowly Kat pulls back and slides out of his lap to sit next to him again. Finally she drenches a cloth in the alcohol and cleans the wound with it. Erik barely flinches even though it must hurt like hell. The thought that he must be used to it by now tastes bitter on her tongue. She feels like throwing up. Her hands work quickly but precisely as she stitches his arm with a sterilized needle. Erik winces sometimes when the needle pierces through his flesh but he makes no fuss about it. The bullet ripped through his flesh messily what caused the skin to burst open rather than forming a clean cut but that won't be a problem, it will heal nicely once it is stitched and he rests. It will scar though. It will be another scar he didn't deserve.

New hate bubbles up in Kat. Hate for everyone that is a reason for Erik's pain and for the scars on his body. Somebody once said that hate is too strong of an emotion to waste it on someone you don't like but that's not true. Because to her it would feel like betraying him if she doesn't focus all her hate on these people. Them as well as her teacher. He betrayed her trust, he betrayed _her_. Kat trusted him and he went to the fucking bobbies behind her back. All she wants right now is to scratch his eyes out of his skill. But she's got other things to worry about.

So after stitching the injury she cleans it again and wraps it up. As soon as she's done she sighs in relief. That was a close call right there, a little more to the side and Erik could be dead.

'' I need alcohol. '' She says, her voice rough but calm. She's tired. Now that the adrenaline's wearing off she's tired. All she wants is to spend the night here, cuddle up to him and watch another Disney movie while listening to his heart beating under her ear. Erik looks at her for another few seconds before he leaves the room. He returns moments later with two glasses in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other. He hands her a glass before filling both of them until they are half full. She eyes the red wine,

'' Do you have any Whiskey or Rum? ''

'' No. '' Kat sighs again. Bugger. As soon as he puts down the bottle, she picks it up to fill more into her glass until it almost spills over. Then she empties almost all of it at once before refilling. Erik eyes the whole scenario witch an arched eyebrow but chooses not to say anything. Instead he shifts his focus onto his own glass. Kat uses that opportunity to examine his body more closely. The scars don't change the fact that he's extremely attractive. The years of climbing around and building this whole layer really payed off. He's got nice abs, well-rounded arms and these delicious muscles in his neck that always define when he carries her or something else. There is honestly nothing about this man that Kat could call ugly or unattractive in any way. His face is a tad inelegant but not at all horrible. And if she thinks about the whole package it's just a small blemish.

As she notices Erik starring at her she smiles at him. Kat can see the hesitation in his movements as he gently puts his hand on top of hers. She glances down at their joined hands and entwines their fingers. His hands are so much larger than hers that she feels so safe and comfortable when he holds her hand,

'' Will you stay with me? '' She shakes her head softly but gives his hand a reassuring squeeze,

'' Not tonight. I promised not to stay away for too long. That Inspector's… rather nasty. ''

'' Did he hurt you? ''

'' He tired to hit me but I blocked. I told him it's not smart to piss off someone who's breaking bones for a living. I think he got the message. Madam Giry then politely send him to hell. '' He seems rather satisfied for a moment before his eyes narrow in both anger and remorse. Kat allows him to run his finger over the new marks on her throat,

'' Is he also the reason for _this_? ''

'' Don't worry about it. This looks worse than it is because my skin was already- '' She stops abruptly as she realizes what she was about to say. But it's too late.

'' I am so sorry Kathrine. I went more than just too far. '' She nods and gives his hand another squeeze,

'' Yeah me too… Let's just… not stay on each others heels when we fight okay? ''

'' I feared you will not return to me…'' His voice is low and Kat smiles at him,

'' How could I stay away? '' They sit in silence for a while. Erik's thump is caressing her hand, his cheek back on top of her head. Kat bites her lip,

'' I hit him. Nathan I mean. He tried to come after me as I was on my way here so I hit him across the face and told him to never come close to me again. '' Erik chuckles but Kat's not laughing with him. She's furious, yes. But she's hurt too. Her eyes narrow,

'' I can't believe he did something like that. I mean I knew he was angry and he likes you just as much as you like him but… Now he betrayed _me_. I did a lot of things in the past of which he never approved of, but he always trusted me. I was so sure he'd trust me enough to let me make this decision for myself. But he didn't. ''

'' He has no right to decide over you. '' She eyes him,

'' Why did you kill him? ''

'' He was about to discover our home. I had to stop him. ''

'' Okay. '' She can almost feel Erik staring at her in surprise. Perhaps her reaction was a little too… less. But she's too tired and to focused on other things and to be honest… she doesn't trust any of the people here. If that man really would have found this place, Erik might have been forced to go through even more abuse and hatred. And he'd be left without a home again. It might be selfish… but she cares more for Erik than for that stranger.

'' Your way of providing a distraction was very creative. '' A small grin comes to her lips,

'' I feel bad that I used Meg like that but I knew she would scream if I break down. ''

'' I would not have made it out alive without you. '' She looks at him,

'' You're not alone anymore. ''


	15. Chapter 14 - You Resist

**Chapter 1** **4:** You Resist Yet Your Soul Obeys

* * *

She left not long after and made it safely back into her room where Holly, Jessie and Meg had been waiting for her.

The following 3 days passed so quickly that she felt as if somebody drugged her. She didn't talk to Erik in that time. She did, however, talk to Mister Williams. Not because she wanted to that much but because she tailed him as she noticed him leaving the Opera and saw him talking to that Inspector. She got into his room that night and demanded to know what he's playing at. He was calm, to her surprise. Cold even. It broke her heart. She hates him for what he did, yes. But she still loves him like a second father. Because once she loves someone, she can't stop no matter what happens. Another good reason to stay the fuck away from the L word.

Nathan told her that he will make sure Erik will be locked away, no matter if Kat approves or not. That she will never be close to him again. At first he was mad because Kat pushed him away and put herself on Erik's side instead of Nathan's. But by now it's more than that. Nathan pretends its still about her but it's not anymore. It became personal to him.

And Kat wants to go around until she finds someone that's selling drugs so that she can just get high and forget. Forget that, if nothing happens, she might have to decide between Erik and Nathan. And she might be unable to do so…

* * *

'' Holly… Get up…'' After leaving Nathan's room she couldn't go to sleep. So she waited for sunrise because that's when the first carriage is available. Holly mutters something but refuses to open her eyes. Only as Kat shakes her again, the other girl wakes up,

'' Kat…? What's wrong… what time is it? ''

'' I dunno, 'round 5 or 6 maybe. It's dawn. ''

'' Why are you waking me up? ''

'' Let's take a walk okay? There's a Graveyard not far. We can get there per carriage. '' Holly looks at her through with sleepy eyes,

'' Do you really think it would be such a good idea to sneak away now? ''

'' You're right… Sorry, just go back to sleep. '' Holly arches an eyebrow,

'' You'll sneak out alone as soon as I'm sleeping again. '' Kat shrugs her shoulders with a tired grin,

'' Yeah. ''

'' Okay. Fine, let's go. ''

Quickly but quietly they get outside to the spot where the carriages are. While Holly yawns, Kat walks up to a man who obviously just started his shift. He looks tired, like he can barely focus on himself. Perfect.

'' Where to Mademoiselle? ''

'' To the cemetery. It's close by isn't it? ''

'' Yes Mademoiselle. '' Kat hands him some money and goes back to Holly without asking if it was too much. She doesn't care about the money. She just needs to get away for a little while. She needs to be far away from Erik, far away from Nathan and from that Opera. She needs the silence of that graveyard. She needs to think. She needs a plan and that quick… But her mind feels slow, her limbs numb. She's so tired, so drained of hope… But if she can't find a solution, she will lose one of them…

* * *

'' Why to the cemetery? '' Holly asks after several minutes silently sitting in the carriage. Kat didn't move a muscle in that time, she just stared at the passing province. Holly knows that Kat followed Mister Williams, she also knows that she wanted to talk to him this night. She looks tired, like she didn't sleep at all, like something's eating her up. At first Kat was outraged by what their teacher did but the anger faded until only hurt was left. Holly, though, is still angry. Kat doesn't trust easily and if someone betrays her trust it's breaking her. And he did betray her. For the first time Kat's crazy and hopelessly in love with someone that is willing to do anything for her. And now Mister Williams wants to lock him away. How could Holly not be angry? Of course, Erik has beaten Kat so Holly understands where his anger comes from. But this went completely out of control. On the other hand… Erik is a murderer.

'' I wanna look for people who died on my birthday. ''

'' Oh, that again. ''

'' Shut up… It's calm there. And pretty. ''

'' And full of dead people. '' Holly argues with her eyebrow arched. Kat shrugs her shoulders,

'' At least there won't be anyone ordering me around or giving me a headache. ''

* * *

'' Is he gone? ''

'' The carriage? Yeah it's gone, why? '' Without answering, Kat fumbles trough her pockets and pulls out a pack of cigarettes. Holly watches as Kat grabs a joint from the pack and puts it between her lips before grabbing a lighter. Holly sighs,

'' Do you think it would be good to smoke pot now? Mister Williams will be mad enough if he realizes we're gone, no need to be high too if we get back. '' Without paying any attention to her friend, Kat lightens the Joint and takes the first deep breathe,

'' I made it this morning but I didn't put a lot of pot in there, just enough to calm down a tad. ''

'' Did you take your medications? ''

'' Mister Williams makes sure I swallow them, don't worry. ''

'' He's busy trying to keep the Phantom away from you. I don't think he remembers giving them to you. ''

'' I wouldn't risk going into an episode right now. Not now. '' Holly nods,

'' And what's your plan? What will you do? ''

'' I don't know…''

'' Our boat will be here next week. Are you leaving with us? '' Kat smiles sadly, her eyes hushing over the gravestones,

'' Are you giving me the choice? ''

'' Of course I am. He loves you. You love him. You really do. ''

'' I didn't even try to talk to him in those past days…''

* * *

'' You're angry because he pushed you into a role again without asking. '' Kat shrugs. She has only one appearance, only one song. The whole Opera is full with angst and hate. In the Opera people are talking about her role a lot but she's only coming up to the final song. As some kind of climax. Erik made very strict rules for the cast of his Opera. Carlotta has a role, though. After Kat told him that the diva visited her because she was worried, he seemed to somewhat warm up. A little. Still, as Kat said she would try again she didn't mean that he could just put her into some role without consulting her about it. Especially through the scene she is supposed to play will be… a little awkward. Not because she has to be very seductive, that's not her problem. But because she has to do this scene with Piangi and he's with Carlotta. Carlotta was just about to go friendly with her again after Erik manipulated her voice but now Kat really doubts that the Diva will still be that nice.

'' He should have talked to me. I was with him for more than an hour. He could have told me. ''

'' Well he did say 'new star'. '' Holly shrugs with a small smirk and Kat snorts,

'' Great…''

'' Kat, honestly, get over it and talk to him before he gets it the wrong way again. You didn't tell him you love him, you kind of forgave Mister Williams, you refused to talk to Erik. Considering all I know he will think you're changing your mind. '' Kat breathes out heavily and runs her fingers through her hair,

'' I know. I know… I will probably talk to him soon…''

'' Tonight, Kat. After rehearsals. ''

'' Can you make sure nobody sees me? ''

'' Of course. '' Kat smiles at her. Suddenly she spots something behind Holly and quickly walks past her friend,

'' Found one! ''

William Craig

January 2nd 1946 - July 27th 1995

'' Died on your birthday. I have no idea how you can find so much interest in that. '' Kat kneels before the grave and puts her hand onto the cold earth, her fingers curling slightly,

'' I don't think I can leave him…''

'' You really love him. This isn't some small fling. You're completely in. ''

'' What if I'm ruining him even more? I can barely hold up a friendship. I'm not exactly relationship material or the kind of person someone like him should be with. ''

'' I never thought that I would see you insecure about yourself at some point…. '' Kat grits her teeth,

'' I'm not insecure! I'm downright terrified! Erik's wrecked! I am _beyond_ wrecked! But opposite to me he just needs some good help. I will never get right in the head. How can I help him if I can't even take care of myself…'' Suddenly Holly's eyes narrow,

'' Who told you that? ''

'' Nathan. On the roof. And in his room. I tried to make him understand why I love Erik… He said I can't even take care of myself, how do I think I could ever take care of somebody else? He's right. ''

'' No he's not. '' Kat stands up to face her friend,

'' Holly come on! ''

'' No. You're not stupid, Kat. You know how far you can go. If you know I'm there to take care of you, you push your limits because you know I keep an eye on you. If he's with you, you push a little more because Mister Williams usually does the same. But as soon as you notice that someone needs you, you become protective… You are… perfect for him. Trust me, if somebody can deal with him, it's you. ''

* * *

After Holly held Kat the 'moral-speech' about being careful and calling and visiting, they walked a little further into the graveyard until they reached a large family grave. They sat down at the foot of the stairs. Kat smoked another cigarette and lay down in the snow. Holly watches her for a while now. She knows Kat's tired. She didn't sleep good those past days anyway and this night she stayed up completely. That's not exactly healthy for her. She'll sleep better once they left and her and Erik finally get some time alone. Without Mister Williams or any police interrupting them. Maybe the situation would be better if Kat had told him she loves him as she had the chance to…

* * *

'' _Wandering Child so lost... so helpless. Yearning for my guidance_. '' Holly winces at the sudden voice coming from the shadows and jumps to her feet. She can't spot him but they both know he's there. She looks down to find Kat's expression slowly going into a mix between enchantment and that loving gaze. She had that look before, in the chapel and as she unpacked the dress. She has it when he sings to her. How can he have this effect on Kat? Holly can feel something in her moving when he sings but Kat seems like she's in trance by it. It's not that she seems to completely forget everything around her but it's like nothing around her seems to matter to her now.

'' _Have you forgotten your master_? '' Holly's eyes narrow as she watches Kat slowly getting to her feet, her eyes focused on a point in the shadows. Does she know where he is? Holly shudders. Why is he not coming out? He showed himself openly at the ball, why is he hiding now? Was she right and Erik thinks that Kat will run from him? Is he singing to her to make sure she will not try to flee from him now? Could he try to get her to him once and for all? Because, despite his gentle words to Kat, Holly knows he would go a little further than just asking and accepting. That is what has Holly hesitating sometimes, wondering if she should support Kat or perhaps Mister Williams. If Kat would decide to really leave him, he would go crazy. He would kill Mister Williams and maybe try to hold her hostage. If he really thinks she's trying to run from him… they might be in danger now…

* * *

'' Erik…'' Her voice is a whisper but she knows he heard her. He always hears her. Slowly she rises to her feet to turn to where the voice comes from.

'' _Too long you've wandered in winter. Far from my protective gaze…_ '' Kat smiles as she climbs the stairs slowly, allowing his voice to lure her closer and put her under his power. God, she loves his voice. She loves that he can calm her when she has a panic-attack just by singing to her.

'' _You resist, yet your soul obeys._ '' Kat stops for a moment, her brows furrowing.

 _Resist?_

'' _Angel of_ _mu_ _sic, you denied me! Turning from true beauty. Angel of beauty, do not shed me. Come to me strange_ _a_ _ngel_. '' He actually thought she would leave him? Just because they weren't talking? Did he spy after her again? Did he see her with her teacher? He can't really be thinking she would run from him after everything that happened, right? She couldn't just abandon him. But of course, PTSD-Erik doesn't know that. She smiles softly, maybe he will finally find some peace when she tells him she'll stay with him. She needed that conversation with Holly. Now she's sure she can do this, _they_ can do this. It's not impossible. This thing has a chance to last.

'' Be careful…'' Kat doesn't acknowledged Holly's silent plead, she's not even sure she really heard it. Her feet just move up the stairs. Her heart is beating wildly in her chest and yet she can't bring herself to move any faster. She's nervous.

* * *

'' _You are my Angel of Music... Come to me Angel of Music…_ '' Holly's eyes widen, how does he do that thing with the voice? It's almost as if he has two voices, a whisper and something magnetizing, something dominant. Holly bites her lip, she feels the sudden urge to just step in. But it would make everything bad again. And Kat's smiling, she's happy with that guy even if he's a tad bonkers. That's what counts in the end.

Then Holly hears footsteps. Somebody is running up to them. She groans as she sees her teacher coming closer. He barely glances at her but there's a lot of disapproval in his eyes. As soon as he's close to Kat, he grabs her arm and pulls her back. Holly knows he will regret that later… If Erik's thinking that their teacher brings Kat back onto his side and away from him, he will be really furious now. That means he'll be dangerous.

* * *

'' W-what are you- '' Kat winces at the strong grip on her arm and looks up with wide eyes,

'' Get your fucking act together and start thinking! '' The sudden sound of a sword being drawn and clothing rustling causes her to look up. Her gasp is enough of a warning for Nathan to jump aside. That quick motion is the only thing that allowed him to dodge the sword that would easily have cut him in half. To Kat's surprise, and great shock, Nathan pulls his own blade and holds it out in front of him.

 _Why does he have a sword?! He can barely fight with fists, what is he doing with a weapon! It'll only make Erik angrier!_

Kat draws back as Erik aims at her teacher again. Her hands fly to her mouth as Erik forces Nathan to the edge. As soon as her teacher's cornered, Erik distracts him with a swirl of his cape and uses Nathan's lack of attention to throw another blow at him. In an attempt to jump aside, Nathan throws his body over the edge but he looses his footing in the snow and crashes to the ground. Kat jumps at his pained scream. That's when she recognizes the sword. It looks similar to the one that Inspector had.

 _That bloody piece of shit…!_

Her eyes narrow, there's no way her friend can beat Erik. He's too skilled, to lost in his rage. If nothing stops them, he'll kill Nathan. Erik's jump is much more skilled so that Nathan barely manages to move aside before Erik's sword can cut him. The Phantom's on him before Nathan has the chance to really stand up. Kat follows them downstairs, her hands gripping the handrail tightly,

'' No stop! Don't hurt him! '' Her voice is a desperate scream but Erik makes no move to stop in his aggressive attempts to kill him. Holly runs up to her and Kat grabs her arm to pull her further onto the stairs to get her further away from the fight. As Erik hits a tree instead of Nathan and almost cuts through it Kat realizes how hard his blows really are. Her feet move on their own as she runs up behind him,

'' Erik stop! Please don't hurt him! '' She clings to his arm in an attempt to pull the jealous man off her teacher but in his rage he merely pushes her off him roughly before attacking Nathan once more. Kat falls back and hits a gravestone with her head as she impacts with the ground, a scream ripping from her lungs. She's getting dizzy.

'' Kat! '' She hears Holly running up to her, pulling her gently into a sitting position,

'' Oh god… are you alright? Don't pass out! ''

'' I have to stop him…! '' She presses out between ragged breathes. Her eyes are closing on their own but she pushes herself to her feet, feeling Holly support her. The lack of sleep from the past days and the injury on her head don't exactly harmonize to her benefit.

'' What do you want to do? You're hurt! He's gonna kill you in a heartbeat if you go between them! '' Holly yells at her, her voice shaking.

'' But…! - ''

'' You're bleeding, you probably have a concussion! Please just stay down. '' She pulls Kat away from them and urges her to sit. Suddenly Kat feels something cold against the bleeding injury,

'' Here, press the snow against your head and- '' Both women look up as they hear Nathan screaming in pain. The Phantom managed to slash open his whole lower arm but luckily it's not on the side where his pulse veins are. Still, the blood makes Kathrine dash forwards with a loud scream,

'' No- _Erik_ _don't_! '' Just as the Phantom wants to crash the blade into the other man's body to finish him off, she runs between them and stretches her arms out in protection. He looked mad before but right now he's downright insane. His teeth are grit, his eyes wide and his breathing heavy. She can feel blood pouring out of the small wound on her head, can feel it flowing down her temple and over her cheek. Her arms are shaking, her body is fighting her. She wants to sit down, sleep or maybe throw up but she stays in her position. The heavy agonized breathing behind her is all the motivation she needs. Because she knows that, if she moves aside, Nathan will die.

* * *

Erik halts his hand the moment she steps in his sight. That the blade faintly touches her neck.

His blood is burning in his veins, everything in his body is burning. He needs to kill that man or he will always again come between them. The past days he tried to speak to Kathrine, tried to see her but she was never alone. And just as he saw her alone, he spotted her talking to that damnable scholar again. Kathrine told him she hit him, told him she wants him to stay away from her. And then he finds them talking again. As Kathrine entered his bedroom at night and came out flustered he completely lost every wire to reality. He was ready to kill him then and there but that would only cause more trouble with his angel. So he decided to lure her to him and as soon as she's back in his layer, he can finally kill him. And he almost had her! She was almost there! She was so close he could have reached out and just grabbed her! He could have taken her away! If he has to force her, he will. She will learn to love him. Like she did before. But that scholar had to interrupt again. And Erik saw red.

But now that Kathrine is before him he can't bring himself to move his eyes from her. The blood flowing down her cheek that is obviously coming from her head fills him with a sting of worry. Her shoulders are shaking furiously and for a moment he wonders if she's cold or if she's in pain.

 _How did this happen? How was she hurt?_

She smiles at him softly but her body is apparently fighting her,

'' It's okay… you don't have to fight anymore…'' Carefully, as if afraid she could frighten him with too quick movements she lifts her hand to cover his exposed cheek, her thump softly caressing his cold cheekbone. Her voice is so soft, so tender, he cannot bring himself to interrupt her,

'' I'm coming with you… You can calm down…'' Her voice is filling his senses within seconds and calming his furious mind enough to allow him to properly listen to what she says,

'' Erik… I'm coming with you… I'll _stay_ with you… Everything's okay… please put your sword away now…'' He feels her other hand softly covering the one that is still holds the sword to her neck. Did he almost kill her? He thinks about complaining, wants to scream at her for breaking his heart, toying with his emotions and now bringing up the nerve to stand in front of him and talk like nothing happened! Like she didn't betray him with another man! He knows of Kathrine's open way to handle her body and he knows she was with that man! She allowed this unworthy creature to touch her! He wants to shake her until she comes back to her senses.

And yet her eyes hold all the love he's never seen but wished for so badly. Without finding the ability to fight it, he lowers the sword and his expression softens. His free hand slowly moves to mirror her gesture, his gloved hand carefully touching her cheek, afraid to break her or hurt her more than she already is,

'' Erik…'' Never before did anyone speak his name with such fondness. No that is not right. She did. Kathrine never spoke his name with disgust, she always spoke it with care. He feels lost gazing in her dark eyes. So dark and yet so full with sympathy and fondness. Can he dare to call it love? She promised him he is no longer alone. Was that her attempt to tell him she will stay with him?

'' My angel…'' Her smile is enough to make his heart swell with emotion, the whole world and its cruelties forgotten until only she is left. Was his anger completely for nothing after all?

Then he hears the man behind his angel moving to stand up,

'' Kat, don't- '' He cannot hear the rest as his mind fills with rage again. His hand moves from her cheek to grasp her wrist and yank her towards him. The man makes a move to pound at Erik but the Phantom quickly rams his foot into the scholar's gut. As soon as he falls back, he turns and walks away. Kathrine gasps as he pulls her after him roughly to where he stopped the carriage.

He feels Kathrine stumbling behind him, trying to slow him down but he keeps pulling her along. Erik forces her up into the carriage and takes the reins in his hand to animate the horses with a crack of his tongue. He can feel her eyes on him but he keeps his back to her until he's no longer able to hold his tongue,

'' You betrayed me! '' Erik faintly sees her wiping the blood off her face. She flinches as her fingers touch the part on her head that must be injured.

'' What now? ''

'' I saw you as you left his room. I know what you did. How could you betray me like that! How could you give yourself to that man! '' Kat's eyes narrow,

'' Stalker much? ''

'' He has no right to touch you like that! ''

'' But you do, yeah? '' He halts at that, his fingers clenching around the reins. Suddenly she snaps at him,

'' What do you think, that you're my Suitor? My jailer? ''

'' No! That is not what I- ''

'' You _can't_ just decide about who I'm allowed close to and who not! You _don't_ _have_ _the_ _right_ to lock me away from the world or kill whoever you don't like! You _don't_ _get_ _to_ _say_ what I can and cannot do! If you want me to sing something then how about you _ask_ _me_! Instead you force me to by threatening the people around me that have _nothing_ to do with this! '' He bites the inside of his cheek,

'' I'm sorry. It was not my intention to hurt you. I did not put enough thought into this. I see that now. '' She shakes her head and pushes him,

'' You _never_ think this through! Don't make this sound like you're usually that considerative about this! You can't just decide over me like I'm a doll! I don't know how men handle women here but I'm not going to sit back and let you boss me around! Just because I love you doesn't mean you get to lock me away or kill my friends! It doesn't mean you get to push me around or grab me like that! '' Her words are sharp and angry and they instantly cause his heart to make a jump. His eyes widen as he turns to her,

'' What? ''

'' I said stop acting like a total dick! ''

'' No… no I… You said you love me…'' Kathrine flinches and for half a second he can see the small flicker of panic before it quickly drowns in anger,

'' Well obviously not the best fuckin' course 'o action 'cause you're still being a bloody jerk! '' Erik quickly ties the reins to the carriage, the horses know their way without his help. He needs to look at her. As he faces her she shrinks back, uncertainty flashing in her eyes,

''…You love me? '' His voice is a raspy as his throat suddenly feels dry. His heart is beating furiously in his chest. Did he hear her right? Kathrine's eyes are still narrowed as she leans in close,

'' I didn't _fuck_ Nathan. I saw him talking to the Inspector so I asked him about what the hell he's playin' at! I told him to call that fucker off you! We were _fighting_! Not _shagging_! ''

'' Kathrine… say it again… convince me I was not dreaming…'' Her anger slowly seems to fade as an adorable shade of red comes to her cheeks. Kathrine's eyes avoid his as she pouts and her head lowers. Gently he takes her face in his hands,

'' Kathrine…'' Finally her eyes meet his,

'' I love you Erik. ''


	16. Chapter 15 - Past The Point of No Return

**Chapter 15:** Past The Point Of No Return

* * *

Kat can see his eyes filling with tears of joy. Suddenly he pulls her against him, her ear right over his wildly beating heart as he squeezes her half to suffocation. She was so angry at him just a few seconds ago but now she feels so warm and comfortable in his embrace that all that anger just disappears and she melts into his body.

'' Kathrine, my beautiful Kathrine…! '' This is only a small break before something big happens, she knows that. But right now she'll enjoy the moment where Erik's holding her so close to him, where he kisses her head and whispers how much he loves her. Because right now Kat feels like she just saved a world. His world. She can't deny there's something perfect about this moment right now. The man she loves, loves her back with a passion that makes her tingle.

'' I made you another dress. As I waited, prayed for this moment, I could not stop myself… I am sure you will like it. '' He whispers into her hair, he sounds so happy. She smiles,

'' What dress? ''

'' Your wedding dress. It will look perfect on you, no other bride could ever match your beauty. '' Kat abruptly stops moving as her heart sinks and the light feeling vanishes as quickly as her anger did before. Her smile drops,

'' No. '' He pulls back to look at her,

'' What? ''

'' I said no. I'm not going to marry you. I'm not going to be a wife. I will not become pregnant and have kids, I will not- I can't do this. I can't be like this. '' Kat can watch the joy from before leaving his expression,

'' Kathrine… you just said- ''

'' I said I love you. I didn't say I will marry you. I will _never_ marry you. '' The same moment that last sentence left her mouth, she realizes her mistake. She should have phrased that differently. Very differently. Because now he'll think something like she only messed with him or whatever he works up in that pretty head of his. It's going to make him doubt her and he'll fall back into his mania. It might start as some small thought in the back of his mind but Kat knows that's enough to completely poison him again. The moment the carriage stops, she realizes she should have said that in his layer as well because he roughly pulls her down to once more haul her after him, his face twisted in rage and his teeth grit. Kat knocks her fist against her forehead a couple of times,

 _Stupid Kat! Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

'' _Down once more to the dungeon of my black despair… Down we plunge to the prison of my mind… Down that path into darkness deep as_ hell _!_ '' She winces as he yells. He drags her through the labyrinth that's under the Opera, his dungeons. Kat knows he's bringing her to his layer. She knows that her words made him snap, that her fucked up way of trying to tell him she cannot see herself married tossed him back into the mania. She wasn't trying to tell him that she changed her mind or that she lied to him, she just tried to say she can't _marry_ him! For fucks sake, why does this have to be so hard?!

'' Erik, you're getting that wrong- '' He suddenly stops and pulls her against him, his grip on her wrist tightens. It almost feels like he's trying to snap her bones. Right now she's not sure if that isn't his plan. First her wrists to make sure she can't defend herself, then her ankles so that she won't run. The thought sends a shiver down her skin.

'' _Why, you ask_ _w_ _as I bound and chained_ _i_ _n this cold and dismal place? Not for any mortal sin_ _b_ _ut the wickedness of my abhorrent face!_ '' He pulls her after him again, her wrist pounding under his grip. Even the adrenaline isn't enough to make her forget about the pain, the feeling of nausea running through her whole body.

'' Erik! You're hurting me! Let go! '' He doesn't acknowledge that he heard her. Kat even thinks he didn't. She can almost see him drifting deeper and deeper. As if his mania would be a sea and he's attached to an anchor. He's going under if she can't cut the line and bring him back up. But she doesn't know how to swim fast enough to reach him in time.

He pushes her into the boat, his arms moving quickly to get them as fast as possible into his layer. The gondola is shaking furiously and Kat desperately tries to keep the boat from flipping. The moment they arrive he once more grips her wrists tightly, this time both of them, and pulls her out of the boat. Kat's not sure what his plan is now. Will he try to lock her away? Cripple her to make sure she won't has the chance to escape? The worst part is, she's not even wondering _if_ he's capable of that. She just wonders whether or not he will try that.

'' _Hounded out by everyone…! Met with hatred everywhere…! No kind words from anyone, no compassion anywhere… Kathrine_ …'' He stops as they pass the organ, his hands moving from her wrists to clasp her shoulders, his eyes wide, his breathing heavy. Kat feels her heart breaking a little at that look. She knew things weren't going to stay as happy as they were after her confession, but this? How did things get so horrible in such a short time…

 _By kicking him in the nuts, you fucking stupid bitch._

'' Why…'' She looks at him but can't find the right words to answer. In his anger he shakes her roughly,

'' Why! '' Instead of screaming at him or trying to push him off, she just stares at him. What can she say? She has to tell him that her words weren't meant as a rejection, that all she meant to say was she can't be a wife. She has to say it in as little words as possible. Before she can decide how to start, he already turns from her. Kat watches how he disappears in the bedroom for a moment. Her hand rubs over her aching wrist, they're already changing their colour. If he wants to break them, he's on the right way.

Erik returns with a beautiful white dress in his hands. Her eyes narrow in confuse, will he try to force her into the marriage?

'' Put it on. ''

'' Erik- '' She gasps as he pushes the dress into her hands violently. Her hands instinctively move to hold onto the item,

'' Put it on! '' His voice is loud, aggressive, raspy from the hurt. She shakes her head, her eyes meeting his,

'' No. '' Suddenly a bitter smile comes to his lips,

'' It's my face, is it not? You feel disgusted at the thought of having to look at me with the knowledge of what is hidden behind this mask. Admit it! I can see it in your eyes! I can see the disgust! I can see the fear! You cannot bear the thought to look at me for the rest of your life! I was right from the beginning on! You never really loved me, you just wanted to show pity! ''

'' You don't understand- '' He shakes her again, this time more desperately,

'' Don't lie to me, Kathrine! You wish to be with that scholar! I know it! You love him- '' If she wouldn't start to get angry now, perhaps she would groan. Instead she slaps his hands away and grits her teeth at him,

'' That's not true! '' He winces and suddenly she can see tears in his eyes,

'' This face, the infection... _that poisons our love…_ '' Kat can feel her anger fading again as his fingers softly brush her cheek, his voice lost, his expression hinting on another mania. Kat plays with the thought to slap him, try to get him out of that. But this isn't a panic-attack and if someone would slap her while she's in an episode, she would tear the person apart. Somehow she has to find a way to get through to him. If she doesn't get him back to his senses soon, he might do something he will regret later. And Kat's not exactly convinced that her teacher won't get the brilliant idea to call more police, now that the Phantom 'kidnapped' her again. She needs Erik reasonable. She needs her logical, clever Phantom.

'' _This face… which earned… a mother's fear_ _and_ _loathing…_ A mask. _My first unfeeling scrap of clothing_ …'' His broken, teary voice suddenly changes into the raw anger from before,

'' _Pity_ _comes to late! Turn around and face your fate! And eternity of_ this _!_ '' While one hand grasps her shoulders the other points at the mask. Kat titles her head with a sad expression as his other hand moves to her shoulder too,

''... _Before your eyes…_ '' He puts a ring in her hand. Kat breathes out heavily as she looks at it. It's beautiful, no doubt of it. But…

 _I can't do this… Not even for him._

Slowly, her eyes only halting a moment on him, she puts both items away. For a long time Kat only looks into his eyes, tries to find him in them,

'' You're so convinced that no one could ever love you that you push away and hurt everyone that tries to… You're making this extremely easy for yourself, don't you think? '' Tenderly, her hands move to his face to remove both the wig and the mask. Erik doesn't stop her, his eyes don't close. He just stares at her. As if he couldn't understand what is going on. Probably he can't. But this has to stop. She can't have him like this anymore, not while there's still something else going on. Not while she has no idea what her teacher's trying next. They have time to deal with this when they're alone. But not now. So she keeps her voice low and loving but firm enough to get his attention,

'' I told you before… I love you. Every inch of you. I love your face, I love your scarred body and I love your screwed-up character. I didn't reject your admittedly really crappy proposal because I can't stand the thought to be with you. I said no because I can't be a _wife_. I can't be a _mother_. I don't _want_ to be. But I _want_ to be with you. '' She smiles as she sees the hateful fog slowly clearing from his sight. He's finally listening to her. He's coming back to her.

'' I'm _not_ in love with Nathan. He's a good friend but I'm _not_ in love with him. I am, however, _really_ in love with _you_. '' To empathize her words she leans up to kiss his deformed cheek. She wraps her arms around his neck while her lips remain on his cheek. At some point she leans back to smile at him. His anger faded and she watches the sense returning to him. Slowly his eyes grow sad and show the hatred he feels for himself. But before she can say anything to comfort the tormented man, his face turns away from her. And then his expression changes into a twisted smile, the mania returning at once,

'' Wait, _I think my dear, we have a gues_ t! '' Her eyes narrow in confusion as she follows his eyes. If it wasn't for the shock that's causing her whole body to freeze, she might scream.

* * *

Nathan reaches the gates with slow, dragging steps. The cut on his arm is bleeding worse than before so that the blood soaked his sleeve by now. His hair sticks to his face, his lip and knees are bruised and his whole body is soaking wet. The pain that comes both from the exhaustion and the injuries he got while running through this fucked up labyrinth is numbing his senses. After the Phantom dragged Kat away he quickly forced himself to his feet. He brought Holly back to the Opera. The younger woman tried to stop him, yelled at him to stay the fuck away from Kat and Erik. _Erik_. They gave the psychopath a name now. Another thing to justify what he did, what he still could do. Give something a name and you grow fond of it more easy.

He locked Holly into her room, he will face the consequences for that later, and went then to Madam Giry. After explaining to her that the Phantom attacked him as he tried to keep him from dragging Kat into his power, but managed to run away with her, he demanded to know where he hides. Madam Giry was shocked, didn't believe him as he told her the Phantom's almost killed her. She refused to tell him where he hides, said she has no idea. Only as Nathan threatened to bring every single cop here he could find to search the whole goddamn Opera she lead him to the secret entrance. She didn't tell him where to go and he can't shake off the feeling that maybe she hoped he would die in his search.

He soon fell through a door in the ground and into a sea. Before he had the chance to get out, a heavy gate closed above him. He would have drowned if he hadn't found the gear to stop it from sinking. In his search for the layer he sprang another trap. He stepped on some kind of mechanism and suddenly he had arrows shooting at him. He felt like fucking Indiana Jones. One brushed his stomach, another one his cheek but he jumped aside in time before another one could go through his eye. He thought he would never find this place. Until he heard the Phantom yelling. That lead him here in the end. Now he sees the Phantom in front of Kat and his anger returns. He grabs a tight hold of the bars…

* * *

'' Nathan… You bloody idiot…'' She takes a couple of wobbly steps to the water but stops, her hands curling to fists. She wants to yell at him, kick him, hurt him. Ask him why the bloody hell he came here! She had him back, she had Erik back with her just a fucking second ago! He was good again, he believed her! He was reasonable! Now he's sucked back into that horrible state and Kat fears there's nothing she can do against that. Not while that idiot is here! Why couldn't he just stay away?! Why is Nathan so fucking stupid! Yes, he wants to protect her. Yes he doesn't know what Kat knows. Maybe it's partly her fault but what he's doing is going too far! She watches how Nathan's grip on the iron gate tightens. She can see his eyes moving to Erik's exposed face faintly and as his eyes widen a little, Kat wants to spit into his face. Erik walked away from her but he soon comes back without doing anything, the grin not leaving his lips,

'' _Sir, this is indeed an unparalleled delight! I had rather hoped that you would come! And now… my wish comes true. You have truly made my night_. '' He pulls her against him tightly, his arm possessively around her shoulder. His voice is mocking, spitting pure venom at Nathan. The deformity on his face is giving the whole picture a lot more horror than before. Kat looks up at him, her voice pleading,

'' Don't hurt him. ''

'' Don't fucking touch her! If you hurt her I swear to god, I'll kill you! '' Kat's eyes close as Erik glares down at her for a second,

'' Your Lover makes a passionate plea. '' She doesn't even acknowledge his words, instead she turns to Nathan,

'' Just go away! ''

'' She's got a family that loves her! Friends! Doesn't this mean anything to you!? Show some compassion! '' Erik releases her to take a threatening step closer,

'' The world showed no compassion for me! ''

'' Kat, it's okay. I'm gonna get you home like I promised. '' Kat growls. She opens her mouth but before she can tell him to leave her alone, Nathan turns back to Erik,

'' Let me in! ''

'' Be my guest! …Sir. '' Kat watches how Erik calmly walks to a lever that opens the gate. When it opens he makes his way to the water. As he passes her, she reaches out to him,

'' What are you doing…''

'' _Monsieur_ _I bid you welcome. Did you think that I would harm her? Why would I make her pay_ …'' As soon as there's enough space for Nathan to fit, he slips past the gate. While Erik walks closer, Nathan looks like he's trying to control his body. He looks horrible. Kat wonders if he stepped into any trap Erik set up here. The noise of the closing gate causes Nathan to look over his shoulder for a second,

'' _For the sins which are yours!_ '' While Nathan has his back to Erik, the Phantom throws a lasso at him. Kat gasps, her hands covering her mouth to stop herself from screaming. Within seconds Erik ties her teacher tightly to the gate, his voice echoing through the cave,

'' _Hold_ _your fine promise now! Keep up your hand at the level of your eyes! Nothing can save you now. Except, perhaps, Kathrine!?_ '' The moment Nathan screams, Kat runs into the water, ready to once more pull Erik away from him.

* * *

It feels like something snapped in his mind, all reason and love from before leaving his body at the knowledge of having the scholar trapped and his angel right there with him. He will make sure that he will never again be in his beloved Kathrine's mind once and for all. And if he has to kill him right before her eyes. There is no place for the scholar in their shared life. Kathrine said she loves him, now she will have to prove it. The moment Erik tied him to the gate he turns around. The Scholar's scream caused Kathrine run to them but before she can reach the man, Erik tightly catches her on her wrists,

'' _Star_ _t_ _a new life_ _with me! Buy his freedom with your love!_ '' He screams down at her. The pain that is clearly written over her face as her knees give out, barely reaches his chaotic mind. His grip tightens, Kathrine cries out in pain. He cannot say if he is breaking her wrists, he cannot focus on anything except the pounding rage in his body. He pushes her body back and turns to the scholar,

'' _Refuse me and you send your lover to his death!_ '' The sheer glee of having the man under his control is overpowering. Erik slaps him hard across the face where he sees a cut and watches as he howls in pain. An excited tickle runs over his skin. This is it, this is the point Erik was waiting for. With great amuse he watches how the teacher's face slams against the gate from his hit. Erik abruptly turns back to Kathrine, his finger pointing at the scholar,

'' _This is the choice! This is the point of no return!_ ''

* * *

Kat feels her heart dropping. She can't decide whether to cry or to attack. Erik was psychotic before. She knew that as she heard of what he did in the past. She was confirmed of it by the way he behaved before he's shown himself to her and by everything he did since they've first met face to face. Every time he lost it those days she stayed with him, Kat knew that there's a lot wrong with him. He killed Buquet, he threatened who got into his way and he was ready to kill Nathan on the graveyard.

But this is different. Before she was never this afraid of him. He yelled at her before and it made her very uncomfortable, nervous even. But right now she's downright terrified of him. He almost broke her wrists, he pushed her away like a rag-doll, he's screaming at her. He will kill Nathan if she can't stop him and he will force her to put that dress on and marry him if he doesn't get back to his senses. She will never see the outside world again if he doesn't snap out of it.

She could probably easily kill him. Nobody would bat an eye at his death or even notice it. She could cripple him and leave him behind. But she can't. She doesn't want to. Even if she would try, she would never put as much strength into her attack as would be necessary. His body is lean but well trained, his muscles defined and deeply forced into his body. He can stand a couple of good kicks and she's not willing to aim for the dangerous zones.

Kat is trembling,

'' You can't expect me to do this! '' Her voice is raw with emotion, her glance faintly halting on Nathan before focusing back on Erik who walks away from them as if he needed something to do with himself.

* * *

Nathan watches how the Phantom shakes his head in a tick, his arms making wild movement as if he would say anything. But except small growls, nothing leaves his lips. As another rush of nausea washes over him he closes his eyes for a moment. He wants to apologize to his student. He thought he could save her from him and bring her home safely but all he did was make everything worse. He should have listened to Kat, should have stayed away. He should have trusted her. Now he's the reason his friend's forced to make a decision that will break her. Because he knows there's nothing that scares her more than being locked away and losing someone she loves. He opens his eyes again to look at her but her eyes never meet his. She's focused on the man in front of her. Kat's hands curl to fists as she walks after him, her eyes narrowed but filled with fear and desperation,

'' What do you think will happen if you force me to choose my fate like that! What satisfaction will it give you to know I only stay because you force me to!? ''

'' _Too late for turning back! Too late for prayers and useless pity!_ '' His voice is filled with hatred and madness, her voice is cracking with frustration as tears well up in her eyes. They're giving a broken picture.

'' I'm so sorry Kat…'' As if Nathan's voice would hurt him, The Phantom suddenly steps around Kat to make his way back to him. Nathan's eyes widen in fear. Before the man can reach him, Kat throws herself between them like she did at the Cemetery. The Phantom looks at her but makes no move to push her out of the way, the faintest blink of doubt in his eyes. He shakes his head, the madness returning as he stomps away to grab another rope from the table close to them,

'' _Past all hopes of cries for help! No point in fighting!_ '' Kat's arms slowly lower as she screams at him again,

'' I told you before I wouldn't go! What point are you trying to proof here! '' Nathan's eyes move down to her as he tries to get her attention,

'' Kat- '' Suddenly she points her finger at him,

'' You shut up! You're making everything worse! '' Like before, Nathan's voice, or Kat's answer, causes The Phantom to make a go for him. But Kat stands her ground, her arms risen again as she glares at the man.

'' _Eit_ _h_ _er way you choose, you cannot win!_ '' Suddenly he grabs a tight hold of her chin. She gasps in pain, her eyes tightly closed, her teeth grit in pain. The Phantom pulls her close to him, his voice spitting venom,

'' _So do you end your days with me, or do you send him to his grave!?_ '' He pushes her from him and with that out of the way so that he can wrap the noose around Nathan's neck and thread it through one of the holes in the gate. It's perfect to hang him. Nathan feels his body slowly but surely filling with panic. Was Kat right? Did he make everything worse? The Phantom's dangerous, there's no doubt in that. But is he different when Nathan's not around? At the beginning he was just worried about her. After her kidnapping and the first note he got angry. But everything since Kat was beaten was nothing more but hate and the wish to make him pay. He can't say for sure when worrying for his friend turned into this personal vendetta but right now he finally realizes that perhaps he should have stayed out of this. She's not a teenager anymore, she's an adult. And she's more than capable to defend herself should it come down to it. He turns his head to face the Phantom,

'' If you really love her, you wouldn't make her suffer like that just to get your revenge on me- '' His words are cut off as The Phantom pulls at the rope violently and the noose tightens around his neck. Nathan chokes, saliva dropping from his mouth.

'' _Past the Point of no Return!_ ''

'' _Master of Music_ …'' Nathan's eyes widen as he hears Kat suddenly returning his singing. Her voice is raw, her face wet and her wrists are already turning into a painful shade of purple and blue. But Kat has her eyes on the Phantom as she tries to keep her voice soft. The Phantom doesn't even notice her silent attempt to reach through to him,

'' _The final threshold_! ''

'' Why are you doing this…? '' She sounds exhausted, Nathan can barely hear her whisper over the Phantom's voice.

'' _His life is now the prize which you must earn!_ '' Kat bites her lip hard,

''… _Master of music…_ ''

'' _You've past the point of no… return…_ '' His voice slowly loosens some of the hate as he finally notices the change of her voice. He looks almost shocked at the tears that are rolling down her cheeks. Nathan sees his grip on the rope slacking a little as Kat takes another breathe,

'' _You…_ _deceived_ _me_ …'' Nathan watches how the Phantom's eyes slowly seem to regain some of their sense and show remorse. Like Kat's words hurt him. As soon as it came, he shakes it off again and glares at her,

'' You try my patience. Make your choice. '' He tugs at the rope to make his point through what Nathan gives another agonized choke, no longer able to speak. His vision is swimming, his body hurts. He feels like he's dying. Maybe he is.

Kat turns her back to them, her hands covering her face. Nathan watches how she takes a deep breathe, her shoulders are shaking, her back tensed. She's trying to force down a panic-attack. He bites his lip. Suddenly her hands fall to her sides, her head rolling back into her neck as she takes another deep breathe,

'' _Pitiful_ _genius_ _of darkness…_ _all_ _of_ _that pain you have known…_ '' Nathan's eyes narrow as she turns back around to face the Phantom. The smallest smile comes to her lips as she slowly walks up to him,

'' _Give_ _me_ _the chance_ _to show you… you are not alone…!_ '' Kat's hands find the Phantom's cheeks as she presses her lips to his. Suddenly he finds himself frozen to his spot, forced to watch how the Phantom's eyes widen. Almost helplessly the man lifts his hands, obviously not knowing where to put them.

 _Doesn't he know how to react to someone kissing him?_

Kat breaks the kiss to look into his eyes, her lips turning into a loving smile. One of her hands moves from his cheek to the side of his head, her fingers massaging his skull gently as she leans in for another kiss. The man in front of her appears to be completely overwhelmed with the sudden intimate affection. He settles his hands at the height of her shoulders at last but they stay a few millimeters above her skin. That man could push her, grab her, scream at her and emotionally torture her. And now he's helpless?

Nathan watches how his eyes close. The Phantom's back relaxes, the nervous ticks leave his body entirely. Slowly Nathan asks himself if he's having similar episodes like Kat has them. It would explain why she's so patient with him. Because she knows better than anyone else that these episodes make you into something you never wanted to become.

Kat breaks this kiss slowly, her hands remain on their places, her face close to his. The Phantom has tears streaming down his face as he looks down at her.

Kat only glances another second at him before she suddenly turns and her foot impacts hard with the side of his head. While the Phantom falls into the water with a shocked gasp, Nathan's eyes widen and his mouth drops open. Kat's loving smile changed into a dangerous glare which she now directly projects onto the Phantom.

 _What the - ?!_

The Phantom's hand covers the spot where her foot impacted with his head as he looks up at her in shock,

'' Kathrine- ''

* * *

Kat screams at him, her lungs burning, her eyes closed, her hands curled to fists in front of her body. She's shaking from anger and pain and tears and _hurt_!

'' Shut up! Why do you always keep pushing this! _Everything_ you do here is completely pointless! I told you that I love you! That I won't leave! And you put me into this situation?! What, did you think if you force me to choose between my friend dying and me staying I would jump happily into your arms!? I said it before, I am _not_ some bloody doll you get to push around! I'm a grown woman that will break _every_ _bone_ in your body if you force me to! '' She stops as she no longer has enough air in her lungs to keep on screaming. The tears return to her eyes but this time they never fall. She takes a few deep breathes to regain her posture. Erik makes no move to interrupt her. As if he knows she's not done yet. Maybe he's just too shocked, too overwhelmed with everything than to do so. His eyes are wide, his position still the same. Kat's voice changes into a desperate, harsh whisper,

'' I'm at a limit, okay? I'm tired. I don't want this anymore… So _please_ …! Please Erik just stop… Stop hunting him, stop hurting me…''

* * *

She looks at him pleading, her teeth grit to hold the sobbing back. His own tears didn't stop while she was screaming at him and they only grew thicker as she started to beg him to stop.

Slowly he realizes what he did, what he put her through. He realizes what he was thinking. How could he even begin to think that he could force her to stay here against her will? How could he be so fine with the thought to break her if he has to just so that she stays with him? After everything she has told him, after she bared her soul to him as she chose to trust him by telling him about her fears, he still used this dirty technique to make her his. He tried to use the scholar as a point. But not to her. To himself. And what is the result? Her wrists look violated, her body looks broken, her mind looks shattered. He hurt his angel. For nothing. This really was… the point of no return.

'' Kathrine…'' His voice is raw from the screaming. He wants to promise her everything she asks of him but he can't control his voice. Kathrine looks at him another moment before slowly making her way to the scholar. The man that's still tied to the gate looks from Kathrine to Erik and back several times before stopping on her.

'' You're as bad as him, just so that you know that. '' She mutters as she frees him. The older man nods,

'' I know, I'm sorry…'' Kathrine nods silently and opens then the gate with her foot. Erik never knew that she knows the hidden mechanism to open it. But there were many times where he underestimated her. Slowly Erik stands up as she puts the scholar's arm around her to help him moving. The water's not deep, not if they take the path at the wall. There's a small elevation next to the wall. He built it so that he can quickly use it in case his boat breaks. Erik takes a step closer to the gate as they begin to walk away.

'' _Kathrine… I love… you…_ '' Kathrine stops. Slowly she releases the scholar,

'' Go ahead, I'm right behind you. Stick to the left wall. ''

'' Kat- ''

'' I promise I won't need long. '' She waits for him to go a few steps ahead before turning back to him. Erik's breathing becomes heavier as she comes back. He wants to touch her, say something… but he does not dare to. Instead of saying something right away Kathrine looks at him for a while,

'' I will sing your song, perform your Opera. But… only if you promise me not to hurt anyone. I know you plan to come and look. So _swear to me_ that you won't hurt anyone. '' Erik glances down at her. Kathrine's expression is serious but tired. She looks so tired. All he wants is to cradle her in his arms and sing her to sleep. Slowly Kathrine places her hand on his deformed cheek and allows her thump to caress the part where his cheekbone is only covered by a thin layer of muscle,

'' Don't you understand that you're making everything more complicated than it has to be…''

'' I swear. '' She offers the smallest, most exhausted smile he's ever seen. Her hand slips off his cheek. Kathrine's eyes only meet his a moment longer before she turns to catch up with her teacher.

'' Kathrine…'' She stops and turns back to him but he can only see half of her face. Cautiously, afraid he could frighten her, he takes a step closer,

'' Will you ever forgive me? ''

Kathrine leaves without answering…

* * *

Kat sees Nathan waiting for her only a little away from the layer. He probably heard them. Kat can't say that she cares. She doesn't care for anything right now. All she wants is a drink and a bed. On second thought a bed would be a good start. Something in her tells her she'll finally be able to sleep.

'' I'm sorry…''

'' You're not the first man that tells me that today. '' They walk along the water. It's cold, almost icy. But Kat barely feels it.

'' I shouldn't have done… what I did. I made everything worse…''

'' You did. '' Nathan makes no more attempts to talk to her. She leads him to the hidden door close to her and Holly's room. At some point his steps become slower and she wraps his arm around her again. When they passed the secret entrance and Kat closed the door, they take a couple more steps until Nathan has to take a break. He loses his consciousness on the ground. Kat sits beside him for a while, too tired to call for help. Now that it finally appears to be over she feels so tired. Someone will be coming by soon, she's sure of that. So she closes her eyes and leans her head against the wall. Only as she hears Andrea's voice next to her, her eyes open again,

'' Kat?! Mister Williams?! Oh god, what happened?! '' Her loud voice attracts more attention. Josh, Fiona and Emily are soon gathering around them. While Josh picks up Mister Williams, Fiona and Emily help Kat to her feet,

'' He's just exhausted. He lost some blood, the wound needs to be cleaned and bandaged. Go get Madam Giry, she can take care of him. '' Kat's voice is raspy. The others abruptly do what they're told. While Josh briefly informs them that he will get Nathan to his room, Fiona runs to get Madam Giry. Andrea leaves too, to get Holly, so Emily helps Kat to her bed.

'' Kat what happened…''

'' He came after us. I had him calm… then he showed up… Emily I just… I just need to sleep. Okay? ''

'' Kat your wrists look horrible and you're soaking wet. At least get changed. Where's your stuff? ''

'' Under the blanket…'' Emily abruptly rips the blanket off the bed and soon spots Kat's cloths to sleep. Similar to the way before with Madam Giry, Kat carelessly gets out of her shirt and pants. She leaves her underwear on this time though and slips with a little help into her Pj's. Kat lies down the moment the door crashes open and Holly, Andrea, Jessie and Meg come running in. Kat faintly notices how Emily signals them to be quiet before she passes out…


	17. Chapter 16 - Devil Take The Hindmost

**Chapter 1** **6** **:** Devil Take The Hindmost

* * *

'' Kat… What happened…'' Kat woke up the next day. One day before the premiere of Erik's Opera. She just has one more day for rehearsals. She had 2 more before the fight and she learned most of her text but that's still terrifying. Erik barely gave them enough time to prepare. There was a lot of complaining but after Monsieur Reyer told them to either be professional or get off his stage they stopped bitching. Holly, Jessie and Meg didn't leave her side, for what she was quite grateful. She needed something to keep her mind off the things that happened. Off of Erik and her teacher. Nathan said he finally understands that what he did was wrong, Kat hopes he kept that opinion. Erik promised to not hurt anyone, Kat hopes he keeps that promise. If both men stick to what they said then things could be looking up. Kat's wrist are killing her but the pain will fade and after the others left, Erik and her can finally find some peace. Maybe she'll go to him after rehearsals this night… Right now she has to answer to her friends questions,

'' He was really mad. He saw me coming out of Nathan's room that night and thought we had sex. ''

'' Seriously? You and Mister Williams? Ew. ''

'' Shhh…'' Meg silences Jessie quickly.

'' I told him that this is not true. I eh… well… I also told him that I love him. '' Suddenly Jessie and Holly cheer and high-five

'' Fucking-finally! ''

'' Can you shush them again? '' Kat asks Meg. The younger girl laughs.

'' Calm your tits. He snapped soon enough again because he talked about marriage and I told him I won't marry him. He got it the wrong way and everything went down the hill. I could calm him, though. I had him back with me…''

'' Then Mister Williams came…'' Holly concludes. Kat nods.

'' Erik completely snapped. He tied Nathan to the gate and suddenly screamed at me to choose. Either I stay with him… or Erik kills him. It all went so fast… He was so furious… I… I couldn't do anything. So I sang to him… that calmed him. I kissed him… As I was sure that I had him back with me I kicked him, started screaming at him that he has to stop this. I freed Nathan. He stopped me before I could go. I agreed to singing his Opera if he swears to me that he's not gonna hurt anyone. He agreed. Nathan apologized to me for stepping in like he did. ''

'' So… things are looking up. '' Jessie says but Holly narrows her eyes at Kat,

'' What else is there? ''

'' He asked me if I could forgive him. ''

'' What did you say? ''

'' Nothing. I… I dunno if I can, y'know? Like… I really want to but…''

'' After everything that happened, I would not know how to answer either. '' Meg mentions, her voice low. Jessie nods,

'' Yeah me neither. I mean you're really stubborn and totally set on being free. He threatened you and almost killed a friend. That's gonna take time. '' She nods to herself, a long sigh drawing from her lips. And then another question comes up in her mind…

'' How did he even find us? ''

'' I think he went after Madam Giry. I'm not sure. He locked me in here after I tried to stop him from going after you. Meg and Jessie let me out and we went looking for him but he was gone. ''

'' I hope he didn't threaten her. Erik's gonna cut off his balls if Nathan threatened Madam Giry. And I ain't gonna stop him this time. Not _all_ good things are 3. '' Meg's eyes narrow,

'' Is he really that fond of my mama? '' Kat smiles at the younger girl,

'' He loves her. ''

Suddenly the door opens and Emily comes in,

'' Kat that bobby's back. He's asking for you. He wants to find the Phantom. '' Jessie, Holly and Meg exchange panicked glances,

'' What?! ''

Kat's eyes narrow.

* * *

'' Ah Miss Jones! Good to see you! '' The moment Kat enters Firmin's and André's office, she is met with both managers, Madam Giry, her teacher and that Inspector. The two managers seem everything but amused at the presence of the policeman. Nathan still looks weak but a lot better than before. There's no anger on his face, just regret. So he wasn't the one that got this man here, Kat can't deny that this releases her. Madam Giry looks both worried and angered. Does Erik already know he's here? Kat's teeth grit,

'' Spare me the faked politeness. I'm from 21st century, I don't need that shit. '' The man gives her an arrogant look but nods,

'' Very well. ''

'' What do you want. ''

'' The same thing I came for at the ball. Capture the Phantom. '' She takes a step closer, her eyes boring into his, her muscles tensing,

'' What do you want from me then? In case you didn't notice, I am not the Phantom. ''

'' I will give you a last chance to cooperate. Tell me where he hides. '' Kat smiles maliciously, her voice sweet,

'' I told you, I have no idea what you're talking about. ''

'' Why would you protect that maniac? Look at yourself! '' The smile on her lips turns into a confident smirk,

'' I did. Still smokin' hot. '' The Inspector's eyes narrow but as he takes a threatening step towards Kat, André interferes,

'' Inspecteur, please. Be reasonable. ''

'' He gave you something, am I right? An Opera for you to perform. '' Firmin and André exchange a glance,

'' Yes, we are in rehearsals. The opening premiere is tomorrow night. ''

'' He has you wrapped around his finger, you are nothing more but puppets for him and you do not even care for that. You simply take whatever he throws at you like starved dogs chasing bones. '' The managers seems offended. Firmin steps closer to the man,

'' What do you expect, that we just refuse to play his Opera? ''

'' That is impossible! Reckless! '' The Inspector shakes his head, his eyes suddenly halting on Kat.

'' No. I do not want you to refuse. We will play his Opera and this time it is going to cost him all. We cannot let him play us like puppets any longer! And…'' He stops a moment to smirk at her before slowly walking close to her, his hand almost gently placing on her cheek. Kat grits her teeth in anger and she slaps his hand away but he doesn't seem to mind,

'' If Miss Jones sings… he will come. '' Her narrowed eyes abruptly widen,

''…What? ''

'' If you perform his Opera, he will be there to watch you. And then we will be ready for him. '' A threatening silence suddenly comes over them. Kat cannot say what the others think of this idea, can't make a guess about it. Her eyes are only focused on the self-assured grin of the Inspector before her. Set a trap for Erik? No way in hell would she ever do that. He should know that by now. That means he's got something that might make her. Kat's eyes narrow dangerously, her voice a low hiss,

'' Forget it. '' The grin isn't dropping and it makes Kat's insides turn. From behind she hears her teacher coming closer,

'' Kat- ''

'' No! I won't do it! I won't help you hurt him! You wanna snatch him? Fine. But I won't be part of that! '' Her voice is sharp as she interrupts him, her eyes moving to meet his. He can't possibly like this idea! It's not gonna be a simple arresting, they'll shoot him the moment they get the chance to. How can he agree to this? But Nathan's eyes aren't as filled with agree as Kat thought they would be. He looks defeated, regretting. The voice of the inspector almost is enough to make her wince. Almost.

'' Miss Jones, please do not force us to threaten you. '' Then she realizes what she did. She just confirmed that Erik's important to her. She tries to keep her voice steady, tries to keep the bad feeling out of her body. There's nothing that man could frighten her with. There's nothing that would make her betray Erik. She smirks,

'' _Threaten_ me? With what? ''

'' You are his Partner. You are withholding important information about a dangerous murderer. That is enough of a reason to get you behind bars. What do you think will happen if all your little games are discovered? Your World handles murderers like we do. There's no escape for you. '' Now Madam Giry, Monsieur André and Firmin all close the gap between them,

'' _What_?! ''

'' Monsieur this is going too far! ''

'' You could not! ''

'' This is not right! ''

* * *

'' You wouldn't dare. '' Kat's voice is low, her eyes dangerously narrowed and her body tensed. But Nathan can see the fear. Kat knows just as well as he does that violence will not help in this case. Not right now. As he woke up this morning he felt better. He wanted to see his student to find out how she is but on his way here that Inspector caught up to him. Nathan didn't call him and he knows that no one else would dare to anger the Phantom like that. For a good reason, how he discovered lately. So he must have come on his own record. But why? Madam Giry was behind him and motioned for him to follow them both. Which he did. Before André's and Firmin's office, Mister Williams and the Inspector waited. The man tried to ask him for more cooperation but Nathan refused, told him it's over. He didn't accept that. It didn't take long for him to realize that the man has something planned.

'' Oh but I will. I have heard everything I need to. I know your friends have everything, what was it called, filmed? That is enough proof to get you behind bars. And I promise you, Miss Jones, you won't get to see the light of day for a long time. '' Nathan feels sick again. Kat is cornered, her eyes wide, her shoulders trembling from both anger and frustration. She knows he's right, she knows he can do that. She knows that there is no way out of that for her. So she finds herself once more facing an impossible task. Her freedom or _his_.

'' At some point the Phantom will try to rescue you. He will break into our prison and kill whoever is in his way. And our guards will shoot him before he reaches you. '' As Nathan sees the warning signals, he quickly step closer to Kat.

* * *

Just as she throws herself at the man, ready to tear him apart with her own hands, she feels her teacher holding her back. She trashes in his grip, growls, tries to scratch that fucking grin of that bastard's face.

'' Kat stop! It's no use! He's right. '' Her trashing becomes more frustrated.

'' Kat, there's nothing you can do. '' With a quick, fluid motion she manages to free herself from him. Instead of making a go at the Inspector though, Kat turns to her teacher,

'' How can you agree to this! ''

'' I'm not! Trust me… I'm not. Personal liking or not, what he's doing is blackmailing in the most fucked up way! But Kat… He's got the upper hand. You're his accomplice…'' Kat feels ready to break down and let that episode finally break free. Those past weeks were too much for her. She can't keep this up anymore. She's worn. The thought of being locket away fills every fiber of her body with panic. Everywhere she's looking she sees white walls. White walls and locked doors. Like she did before…

 _'' Never again…''_

She can feel her body trembling as she closes her eyes. She can't be locked away. Not again. But she can't allow that man to kill Erik either. What will she get for her crimes? 2 years? 3? She can do that. She can endure that. Nothing can be worse than…

Kat takes a deep breathe, her voice becoming steady, emotionless,

'' I won't do it. ''

'' I am no monster, Mademoiselle. I am willing to offer a… deal? ''

'' What deal. '' She winces at the sound of her own voice. Why is she even asking? Why is she talking to him? No matter what deal it could be, it would end with Erik's head in a loop. Or a bullet between his eyes. And it would be her fault. If she refuses to sing he will be angry but he will be alive. If she manages to sneak down to him she can keep him from going up again. And if she has to stay down there with him for years, she's willing to take that form of imprisonment if it keeps him alive. Nobody will find them down there, not even if they try really hard. But Kat knows that it's not that easy.

'' We won't shoot him right away. I will make sure he has a trial. With a court of our world and yours. '' Her eyes widen. Including a court of her world could be Erik's chance. A court of her world would allow her to list his mental problems. Maybe he would need to see a psychiatrist then but that's probably not even be bad. He could live, they could be free together. But it's not her right to push him to a therapy. Still… it's better than imprisonment, isn't it?

'' Think about it, I am only offering this chance once. Agree or refuse. I will get the Phantom one way or another. But you will only be free if you cooperate. ''

'' There will be a psychiatrist of my choice in that court. I will be there. And you will not shoot him. ''

'' Of course. ''

''…I agree. ''

'' I knew you would. '' Kat turns on her heels and quickly leaves the room before anyone can stop her. Outside she finds the others quickly regaining their posture. Josh hides the camera in his pocket but Kat's already seen it. Her eyes move to the hidden object. Kat wants to yell at them, wants to smash the damn camera under her foot… but before she can do that a small idea pops up in her head,

'' How much did you film? '' They exchange a glance before Josh pulls the camera into her view again,

'' Your lessons with him. The ball. The conversation just now… Probably about everything we could. We even filmed as you went with the Phantom and Mister Williams tried to get into the room. ''

'' That's good. Keep that close, I'm gonna need it. ''

'' For the trial? '' Her eyes meet Fiona's before roaming the others. Holly's looking at her with pity and right now it's only making Kat angrier. She is betting Erik's life like it's a game. But there's nothing else she can do. Except telling him. If he doesn't show up, they can't capture him. Everything will be okay as long as he stays away.

'' There won't be a trial. ''

* * *

Holly and Jessie waited for her after rehearsals. Meg was with her while them. But right now Kat needs them to stay away from her, because if they don't, that Inspector might pull them into this too. She can't let that happen. It's one thing if it's her freedom on the line but if theirs are too, her plan won't work. Holly and Kat share a room so it's impossible to stay away from her completely, but Kat can keep them apart over the day. She will stay out of her room until night and leave as soon as she gets up. That's the only chance they have, if it offers a chance at all. That bastard already said he would pull them into this too if she leaves him no other choice. That is why she can't just stay in the dungeons with Erik. If they disappear, the inspector might arrest her people.

After Kat informed Holly, Jessie and Meg of her plan, her friends were everything but thrilled about the idea of having to leave her alone now. But they agreed. Jessie and Meg left, Holly followed Kat to their room. She'll just grab her money and go to town then. She could use a drink anyway. Just one. Or two. Maybe three. Perhaps she can sneak around the Opera and get into Erik's layer through the gate.

The moment they open the door, Kat's plan to avoid Holly is completely tossed aside.

Erik stands in the middle of the room, his back straight, his mask and wig perfectly in place. There's a serious expression on his face that lets on he is aware of the Inspector's presence. He looks intimidating. Kat feels some of the tension disappearing, like a weight lifting off her shoulder, even if it's just a tad.

She gasps in both surprise and instant relief. Without looking at Holly another moment, Kat runs into Erik's arms like a desperate little damsel in distress seeing her hero in the hour of danger. As stupid as the thought sounds to her, it might have more truth in it than she likes to admit.

Her fingers curl into the soft fabric of his waistcoat as if clinging to him could change anything right now…

* * *

Listening to the conversation between Kathrine and that Inspecteur proved to be an extreme test to his patience and his self-control. His fingers were aching, itching, burning to tear that cockroach off his angel and stomp it under his boot. Erik was already planning how to end the Inspecteur as Madam Giry spotted him and told him to not interfere just yet. To allow that plague to run free in his Opera and threaten his Kathrine even further. At first he wanted to ignore her but then Antoinette reminded Erik of his vow to Kathrine. Even if he was everything but pleased, he agreed to stay in the shadows for some more time. At least until Kathrine gave him the permission to kill the Inspecteur.

Kathrine was obviously distracted during rehearsals, but she memorized her text and learns her steps quickly. Her talent is not restricted by the emotional distress she is in right now. His plan can continue then, she is ready for this last threshold.

After rehearsals Erik quickly runs into Kathrine's room, but as she does not come in for a much longer time than it should take her to walk here, he grows nervous. If that Inspecteur manages to get to her again and let her anxiety grow, it might take her over. And then she will be incapable to perform. As the door finally opens, Erik is not sure if he has to expect Kathrine or perhaps somebody else. But that is a risk he just has to take. He has to see her, talk to her. If she will be willing to talk to him at all, that means. After what he has done to that scholar, Erik is not sure if she will forgive him. Not this time. She might be very kindhearted and she certainly forgave him deeds that nobody else ever would forgive… but this time he stepped over a very sensitive line. And yet she was not willing to help with the trap to catch him. Perhaps that is a good sign. He will not ask her to forgive him, not now. Right now there is something else that needs their attention.

His eyes narrow a little in release as he sees Kathrine and her friend, Holly, coming into the room. Both stop dead in their tracks as if a lighting bolt had hit them and stare at him. Kathrine is the first one to move. With a small gasp her expression abruptly shows immense release and before Erik has time to realize what is happening, Kathrine is clinging to him, her fingers curling into his waistcoat and her face buried in his chest. He abruptly puts his arms around her as she collides into him but he cannot stop the confusion coming up in him. With all the scenarios Erik expected, this certainly was not one of them.

He glances up at Holly to find her still looking at him,

'' May I speak to Kathrine in private for a moment? '' Holly winces as he addresses her. For a moment she just stares at him before suddenly snapping out of her frozen stance,

'' Sure. I'll just… wait outside. I make sure nobody gets in here. '' He nods in gratitude,

'' Thank you. '' As soon as Holly left the room, he glances down at himself. Kathrine makes no move to step out of their embrace, her nose is nuzzling the clothing on his chest as if she was trying to move even close to him. He cannot deny that her embrace is soothing his tensed muscles right now. Her fingers have a tight grip on his waistcoat but they soon move upwards to wrap themselves around his neck. That is when he realizes that her body is trembling. His own arms wrap a little tighter around her waist as he presses a loving kiss to the crown of her head, his voice soothing,

'' Do not worry my love… Everything will be alright. I swear. '' Suddenly she pulls back and Erik almost winces as he sees the tears in her eyes, the fear. He saw that the threat took a toll on her but he did not imagine it would be this bad. Before he can put his hand on her cheek or attempt to wipe her tears away, her arms around his neck suddenly grab a hold of his collar. Erik's eyes widen as Kathrine pulls him down to her so that their lips can meet.

He was sure that, should she ever kiss him again, it would take time. After what happened he was convinced that she would need distance to him, distance he was now willing to offer. He learned from his previous mistake, he will not try to lock her away again. And yet here she is, kissing him with such passion he almost feels his knees buckling. Is he supposed to touch her? Of course, he is no idiot, he knows people touch each other when they kiss. But he is not sure if Kathrine wants him to touch her. So he keeps his hands millimeters over the skin of her shoulders. Her lips are moving against his demanding but he is too frozen to mirror her movements. Kathrine's body presses closer to his, her fingers tightening their hold on his collar as she whispers harshly against his mouth,

'' If you don't kiss me back _right now_ , I'll bite you! '' He groans at the sound of her voice. Her hot breathe on his lips, their bodies so close he can _taste_ the seduction radiating from her body. Erik complies without another second wasted. His arms wrap around her waist as he pulls her flush against him. His lips move rather shy against hers at first. Their first kiss without tears of hate or devastation or the feeling of betrayal tainting them. The circumstances might not be perfect but the feeling in Erik's whole being makes him forget the world around them. Slowly his courage grows and his lips move more urgently against hers. Kathrine sighs into his mouth and she almost appears to be melting against him. One hand slips from her spine to her head, a silent attempt to pull her closer, cause more friction between them. Her lips are intoxicating. Kathrine is intoxicating. Can he still focus on the reason he came here? How can he ever keep his mind focused from now on?

Within such little time Kathrine woke feelings in him he never felt before. He felt aroused before, of course he did. There are a lot of beautiful women in his Opera and he is no stranger to pleasuring himself. But he cannot remember a time where he ever felt such deep desire for someone. Now that he knows that Kathrine's advances were honest after all and not just a game to pass her time, Erik cannot stop his mind to wander to places they have never been before. Not like this. He is too old for such teenager-flings, his body should not be reacting this way. He should not be waking up with her voice in his ears and the feeling of her naked body against his still lingering on his skin. He scolded her for her naughty behavior and now his own body betrays him.

He did not think that he could ever love someone like this. Until only a few weeks prior he was sure that he could not love at all. Of course, he deeply cares for Madam Giry and his Opera in a way that could be called love, but he did not think that he could love another person so absolutely. And now he does. And he will do whatever is necessary to keep it…

* * *

Holly quickly pushes herself to her feet, ready to knock and warn the two inside as she hears footsteps approaching, but as she sees the others of her class with Jessie and Meg, she decides against warning them. Kat and Erik better be working on a really good plan in there about how to stop that asshole. Then again, Erik's pretty much of a focused guy. He won't let her distract him.

'' Holly? Why are you out here? ''

'' Is everything okay with Kat? '' Holly plays with the thought to lie to them or send them away but then she remembers that Kat mentioned that she might need their recordings. Slowly she nods to the door,

'' He's in there with her. They're talking. '' Fiona slaps Josh's shoulder quickly, trying to keep her voice down,

'' Camera! Quick get the camera Josh! '' Josh quickly pulls out his camera and kneels in front of the door. Luckily Holly took the key out of the hole after Kat re-appeared. It's not that she doesn't trust Erik but after he managed to lock the door in her dressing room she just didn't want to take any chances. Especially not after her own bloody teacher locked her up in that damn room.

'' Yo that works awesome. We almost get the whole room. '' The others quickly gather around him, each trying to get a good look at what's happening inside the room.

'' Aw, they're kissing. '' Holly's mouth almost drops open, is she the only one that realizes that this might not be the best time to fangirl about these two? And she actually thought Erik won't let her distract him. Ha. Stupid.

'' How old are you, 12? '' Josh gives her a small glare,

'' Well, who's the one looking? ''

'' C'mon, when did you ever think to see _her_ in love? ''

'' She held me the speech about how illogical falling in love is in 10th grade. ''

'' Man I've never seen someone as unromantic as her. ''

'' I've dated guys with a better vocabulary- and I had a biker phase. ''

'' Shhh, we can't hear what they're saying! '' Fiona says. Josh chuckles,

'' They're not saying anything, babe. They're busy otherwise. ''

* * *

Kat breaks the kiss first, earning a small noise of protest from her boyfriend. She smiles to herself. Boyfriend. That does sound kind of nice. A little. Erik was rather shy at the beginning of the kiss, she could feel his hands lingering over her shoulders. As she told him to do something he finally got the push he needed to explore. If you can call that explore that means. Why can't there be a little more time left for them? As she remembers the Inspector she shakes herself out of these thoughts, her expression growing serious,

'' Erik that Inspector's trying to arrest you. He will be there at the performance tomorrow. I know you wanted to come, but you can't. ''

'' Do not worry my love. Nothing will happen. '' She feels the sudden urge to smack him as his hand gently cups her cheek. His eyes are soft, a smile on his lips.

'' Did you listen to me or were you just watching my lips. ''

'' I cannot deny that I did both. You are intoxicating…'' Kat feels like they've switched roles. That's not the time to tell her something like this. She snaps his forehead,

'' Earth to Erik, do I get a signal? They. Will. Shoot. You. Until you're dead. Not just 'small shot to the leg never hurt anybody'. No. _Dead_. Know what that means? That's a one-way ticked to dream-land. You wanna kiss me again? You better prevent tha'. '' He shakes his head, his expression finally growing serious,

'' Kathrine. Everything will be alright. ''

'' Yeah sure. Really looked fine our cute lil' situation. Last time I checked we were fucked! And not in the sexy way! ''

'' Language Kathrine, please. ''

'' Oh piss off! ''

'' Do everything they say. Do _not_ provoke them. Make him believe you are following his plan. ''

'' But that plan will kill you. We talked about that haunted house thing. This is _worse_. What you're doing is driving a race on a curvy road without brakes. '' He chuckles again and presses a kiss to her forehead, his lips lingering on her skin as he whispers,

'' I have no idea what you are talking about, my little hurricane. Now, listen. Kathrine I will never leave your side. Nothing he tells you could ever be undetected by me. This is my Opera, he will not manage to trick me. I will be in your dressing room before the performance, you do not need to feel nervous. I promised to never let any harm come to you, did I not? '' She smiles at him,

'' You can break your promise. I'll be fine and I'll sing. Just…''

'' You don't need to worry- ''

'' No. Erik just… don't come. '' She feels new tears in her eyes. Damn, why does she have to cry now? She has to keep it together. At least until tomorrow night is over. At least until it's night and she's either with Erik or alone. Be it in a cell or in her bed. As soon as this is over she can cry her eyes out and lose it and destroy everything around her. But right now she has to focus.

 _Focus!_

'' Kathrine… You are the one I will give my life for. I swore I will never let anyone hurt you. I am willing to do whatever is necessary to keep that promise. We fought so hard to be together, nothing will part us again. '' Her eyes narrow. He seems so sure, like he knows exactly what will happen. He's keeping something from her. On one hand she wants to ask but… she trusts him. Right now she trusts him completely, without a single hint of doubt. He can be emotional and maybe he needs someone to take care of him… but he is also a very powerful man. And he's clever. Someone she should not underestimate. He takes her hand in his and presses a kiss to her knuckles, his lips resting on her skin a moment. She shudders as he suddenly sings to her. A new melody. A slow, darker one,

'' _Obey your heart, and sing for me. You want it so… Stay and be mine, eternally…_ _Devil take the hindmost_. '' Every man for himself. Kat wants to ask him what he means with that but she finds her heart twisting with panic. If whatever he's planned doesn't work, he will die and she will be locked away. But how could she ever refuse? She's too deep in this. There's no backing out anymore. For neither of them. But this time Kat doesn't have to make her choices alone. He's with her. She's with him. It's not much but maybe that's all they need right now.

Suddenly the door opens and Holly quickly slips into the room. Kat and Erik watch how she closes the door behind her and leans against it,

'' He's coming. '' Kat's eyes widen. Before Erik can make a move, she pushes him behind her wardrobe. It's pretty much in the corner, if she opens the door nobody will see him. Funny, she never had to hide a man in her room yet. The moment Kat's back in the middle of the room with Holly, the door opens again. Her eyes abruptly narrow, her hands resting on her hips,

'' Did you never hear that it's usual to knock before entering a Lady's bedroom? '' His eyes faintly move to Holly,

'' Out. ''

'' She's staying. It's her room and she's a free human being. '' His eyes now narrow too as he steps closer to Kat,

'' I said out. '' She mirrors his move,

'' I heard you. ''

'' Kat. It's okay, I'll wait outside. '' Much to Kat's displeasure, Holly leaves the room and closes the door behind her.

'' Take an example on your friend. '' She sighs dramatically and grabs onto her head,

'' I know… I already thought about growing my hair again. But colouring would be so expensive then. ''

'' I just want to make sure you will not sneak out and meet your lover. '' He completely ignored her comment.

 _Rude ass bitch._

'' What, wanna camp in front of my bedroom door like the good creep you are? ''

'' I have better things to do. I do, however, leave a man before your door. ''

'' Fine. Tell your stalker to get me a coffee at 10 and warn him that I throw stuff so he should have better manners than you and knock. ''

* * *

Erik cannot help himself but smirk at her retort. That man might be able to threaten her but he would never break Kathrine. Still, despite the witty comments, Erik feels tensed. That man was ready to hit her before, he will do it again. And Kathrine is provoking him. Erik clearly told her to do what that man tells her to so that these kind of situations could be avoided. But of course his little temptress has to disobey him.

'' You would do good to show some respect. ''

'' Bite me, ginger. ''

'' Oh Miss Jones… You think you can talk yourself out of this? The Phantom will be in chains before tomorrow night is over. You can try to warn him, it will change nothing. One man alone will never be able to withstand guns. '' Suddenly Erik sees Kathrine's back tensing as she steps closer to the man. She is doing exactly what he wants. Erik wants to scold her, remind her that she will have to listen to him. But he cannot do so without revealing himself. Why does she have to be so stubborn?

'' Who said he's alone. '' He falters a moment, his eyes taking her in closely. Suddenly the breathe of a smirk comes to his lips,

'' You will end in a cell should you interrupt. You are not stupid, Miss Jones, even though you pretend to be. I know you contacted him, I do not know how, but I am sure you did by now. You warned him like the good little whore you are. '' Erik's whole body tightens at those words. His mind almost abruptly fills with rage. How dare he insult her like this! He will make sure that this insect regrets the day of its very birth! Kathrine shares obviously none of his anger. Instead she shrugs her shoulder, a self-assured smirk gracing her lips,

'' I may be a whore… but at least I never had to _pay_ for getting laid. '' Erik sees the move of the Inspecteur's hand that goes to her throat and cannot stop himself. With quick steps he leaves his hiding-place and grasps the hand that just managed to grasp her neck. The Inspecteur's eyes widen as he recognizes Erik,

'' You- '' Before he can finish, the Phantom tosses him backwards with so much force that his back impacts with the door hard. His vision is red. He layed hand on her, he tried to hurt her. The Phantom will kill him. He will eliminate this unworthy excuse of a damned-

* * *

Holly and the others jump aside as suddenly the door crashes open and the Inspector is tossed out of the room. A scream is ripping from his lungs. Holly's eyes widen, they saw how the Inspector made a go at Kat but as Erik suddenly rushed to him Holly knew that it's getting serious. Before the man can fall to the ground, the Phantom is on him. Holly gasps at the outraged look in his eyes. He looks almost exactly like he did on the graveyard. That means he will break his promise. He will kill. One hand grasps the Inspector around his throat to keep him in place, the other curls to a fist to punch him. Holly can almost see his cheekbone breaking as Erik roars,

'' You will never lay a single finger on her again! '' After the Phantom smashed his fist several times into the man's body, Holly is sure his ribs must at least be bruised right now. Erik tosses him across the floor to have his body once more impact with the wall. The others quickly take some distance. The Inspector looks broken, a hit or two more to the head and he could suffer some serious brain damage. But the Phantom doesn't seem to care because he quickly picks the man off the ground again, his hands on his throat, squeezing the life out of him. He aims again-

'' Erik! '' The fist halts mere millimeters before the Inspector's face as Kat suddenly stands next to him. The others watch with wide eyes and trembling bodies how the Phantom's eyes faintly move to her. If he would glare at Holly like he glares at Kat right now, she would run. No, she couldn't run, she would be frozen to the spot in panic. But she would _want_ to run. Despite what Kat told her about his gentle personality, that man's dangerous. And he frightens her to the bone.

'' Let him go. '' Her voice is strict, her eyes serious. There are new bruises on her already damaged throat. That's why Erik so suddenly left his hiding-spot. The inspector didn't just try to grab her, he was about to choke her. Holly can't say that she takes the attack bad on Erik. Kat wouldn't have defended herself this time, not when there's so much on the line. Slowly, obviously not liking it, the Phantom puts the barely conscious man back to the ground, staying face to face with him for a moment,

'' Do not _ever_ just brush her hair again or I _will_ come back and finish what I started. ''

* * *

If the Inspector really heard what the Phantom just threatened or not, Kat can't say. One thing she knows though: It won't take long before there's more police here and Erik needs to get away now. They made a lot of noise and Erik beat the fucker to a bloody pulp. The Inspector's face will probably show some serious swelling in no time, almost all of his face is covered in blood where his skin broke. Kat grits her teeth as she carefully takes Erik's hand. He's furious. He needs to calm down right now.

'' You need to go. '' He glares at her for only a moment longer before slowly nodding. But it's too late. Suddenly they're surrounded by more guards. Erik pulls her against him before she can blink and quickly throws two pellets. The moment they touch the ground they explode and a thick cloud of smoke surrounds them. That's how Erik got away at the ball. They're close to the door and the guards are rather far from it, Erik has an easy way. At least for now there won't be a problem for him to get away. The others scream, the guards bark orders at each other. Nobody can see past their noses. Kat can feel Erik pulling her closer, his arm tightly around her waist,

'' Everything will be all right. I love you. '' He loses no time to kiss her. She smiles into the short kiss. Before she has the time to answer him, she can feel him leaving her side. When the fog fades, Erik is gone.

* * *

'' What happened? '' She looks up at Monsieur André. After the other policemen brought their injured leader away, the managers soon appeared. They send the others away and asked for a word with her. To her surprise they don't seem as horrified or angered at the incident as she thought they would be. Maybe because they can't stand the man either. Kat leans her back against the wall, her legs are crossed on the bed.

'' He chocked me. Or, well, he tried to. Erik didn't like that and… well. '' She makes a vague gesture with her hand. They glance at each other. She sighs. She's tired again.

'' What was he doing in here? '' Kat's lips twist into a bitter smirk,

'' Tried to keep me from contacting my lover and go tell him about his plan. He was convinced that insulting and attacking me would help clear his point. ''

'' But you did contact the Opera Ghost? ''

'' Yeah. ''

'' Good. '' She blinks in confuse,

'' What now? ''

'' We might not be pleased with everything that has happened lately…'' André begins.

'' But we will not have some arrogant man just waltz in here and order us around. We have enough of that with…- '' He breaks off quickly, a small blush coming to his cheeks. Kat laughs,

'' I totally get you, don't worry. '' Firmin nods,

'' That Inspecteur will ruin our Opera. ''

'' We cannot help. '' André then says, he looks at her almost apologizing. Her eyes narrow in confuse but Firmin speaks up before she can ask anything,

'' But we can refuse to help him. '' Kat leans back, a laugh coming from her aching throat. Looks like there's more people on their side than she thought.

* * *

This night she goes for a walk. She has barely enough pot for a last joint but it'll be enough. Erik has a plan, the managers refuse to help the Inspector, Nathan won't help him either. Maybe this could end well after all. As long as he still believes that everybody will support him in his stupid idea to capture the Phantom, it's gonna be alright. With Erik informed there's nothing he can use against her.

Behind the Opera is a forest and if you walk a few minutes you find the lake that continues under the Opera. Kat allows her body to drop at the shore. The only noise around her is the quacking of a frog and the chirping of a few birds. It's peaceful, it helps her to calm. Yes, there is a chance for them to get this right. But that doesn't change the fact that they're playing with fire. Erik killed people, that can't be changed. If that Inspector won't get him, another one might. They have to find a solution for that. Even if they manage to get away this time, it probably won't be the last time. And Erik might just kill again if he thinks his reason is justified. Sometimes it's hard to imagine this gentle, emotional man to turn into a coldblooded murderer so suddenly. Erik's dangerous, a predator. Maybe he turned into that because of what happened to him. But sometimes murderers are born too. Psychopaths are born, sociopath are made. To differ them is almost impossible and takes a lot of time. Erik's past is no excuse for his behavior, it merely explains it.

Kat stays at the lake for what feels like hours. The faint light the moon offers that glimmers on the lake has something beautiful. She almost expects Erik to suddenly stand behind her. But he never shows up. Right now she's neither happy, nor sad about it.

When she sees the Opera again as she reaches the end of the forest she sighs. On one hand she just wants it all to be over now, on the other hand she can't deny that she rather wants to run from this.

Kat almost screams as suddenly someone pulls her behind a tree but a hand covering her mouth and another at her throat stop her from making a noise. Her first instinct is to kick the person in front of her, free herself. But through he hardly pushes her head into the tree, her instinct leaves out a little.

'' You listen to me you arrogant little twat! You think you can hound your lover on me and I will just leave?! I will send you and that freak to jail! You hear me?! '' Her eyes widen as she recognizes the voice. The Inspector's face is swollen, like she expected it. He gives a pitiful, broken picture. But the disgust and the rage in his eyes makes her uncomfortable. Those aren't the eyes of a man that gave up or acts only out of frustration. Those are the eyes of a man that has a plan. Kat tries to move away from the tree but he quickly crashes her back into it, his teeth grit,

'' You think you can save him? You think he can get out of this? If we don't capture the Phantom at the performance, I will make sure you _and_ your friends will _never_ see daylight again! ''

'' You can't do anything to my friends, asshole. '' She spits as she pushes him off her finally. Before she can walk away from him, his palms suddenly slap against the tree at each side of her body, capturing her between them.

'' They all know what is happening. They are your allies. They are just as guilty as you are! If you think they will go unpunished then you are dumber than I thought! Do you even realize what is going on here? I can _ruin_ your miserable lives! Not just yours, _Kathrine_. Everyone's! '' Suddenly her heart sinks. Instead of barking at him to leave her alone or to push him off she just stares at him with wide eyes. His self-assured expression only deepens,

'' Go on, try to give me an impudent remark. Try to mask your fear with that disgusting thing you call humor and pull them even deeper into this! You want to save your friends? Then do what I say. '' Her teeth grit but she makes no move to interrupt him. His hands grab her shoulders tightly, his fingers digging painfully into her skin. She holds still.

'' You _will_ perform and as soon as you spot him you _will_ show us where he is. You _will_ stay back and _keep_ _your_ _mouth_ _shut_ when we capture him. Should you warn him, should anything happen and we fail to arrest him, I will arrest your friends first. ''

'' You can't do this! ''

'' Oh I can! And I will. You should start doing what I say, _my_ _dear_ , because if you don't, you are the reason for many _many_ broken hearts. Do you really want to be responsible for the lost freedom of your friends? '' Kat closes her eyes, her teeth grit. She tries to turn her face away but one of his hands suddenly grabs a hold of her chin. Her eyes open the moment he forces her to look at him,

'' He will be there. I know he will. You will show us where he is, you will betray him and you will stay down. You will not touch him, you will not show any love to him. You play your part and that is it! Understood?! ''

'' Yes…''


	18. Chapter 17 - You've Decided

**Chapter 17 – You've Decided**

* * *

Kat feels like she was pushed into a horror movie. Thick layers of snow cover the world outside but the white snow lost all of it's beauty. The day lost its charm, the night it's grace. Everything that's left is darkness and pain and fear. The day passes before Kat's eyes like she was drugged, perhaps she was. She can hear people talking to her but can't make out any words. While final rehearsals she works on each of her phrases with as much passion as Erik would want her to, but it's more autopilot than actual interacting. The dissociating isn't new to her and right now it's the only thing keeping the Episode away.

She thought about sneaking down into the chapel, maybe leave him a note or slip into the secret tunnel. But the risk that the entrance might be discovered or she might be caught is too high. There's too much at stake right now. She can risk her own life, but she can't risk the life of her friends.

He probably knows anyway. Erik would never give Ginger the chance to overpower him, not in his own Opera. But that doesn't stop Kat from worrying. Erik is strong and powerful in many ways. He can make people cry just by looking at them if he wants to. But he's broken on the inside and she refuses to leave him or treat him as a way to buy herself free. She promised he won't be alone any longer and she meant that. She'll stay with him beneath the Opera and commit to a domestic life. She will help him become better and she'll take him back to England with her where he can get professional help. He can't be caught. They can't allow it.

Kat also thought about giving Holly a note and creating a scene that will put her in the center of attention so that Holly can find Erik and tell him about what's going on, just to make sure. But she's afraid. If that Inspector finds out that she was trying anything, her friends will pay for that. Holly, Nathan and Jessie. Andrea, Fiona, Emily, Josh… Even Meg and Madam Giry are in danger. They're all going to end up in prison if she makes just one tiny little wrong move. If he got the whole police force on his side with this, there's nothing she can do. She can't fight her way out of this tight spot. She can only hope that Erik somehow finds out about this…

* * *

 _'' Will she sing? ''_

 _'' Will she flee? ''_

 _'' What is she thinking now? ''_

 _'' Will she betray us after all? ''_

 _'' Or play her part? End his life? ''_

 _'' Devil take the hindmost. ''_

* * *

Her knees are pressed against her chest, her hands covering her ears. It's too loud. Everything around her is too loud. It's too much. She can't do this. She can't be a part of this plot to trap him. But if she refuses, the people that try to help her will pay the price for it. Now that the Inspector knows about Kat's plan to work with Erik behind his back, their previous agreement is off the table. If Erik is arrested, he will be put into jail or be executed right away. Probably second considering how many people he killed. Betraying Erik will lead to his demise. Not betraying him will lead to trials for her allies that could ruin their lives. Kat can survive in jail but the walls will drive her back into the psychotic state she used to be in. She can't take this another time. Not again. Never again.

She took her pills but she can't calm down, she can't force the voices out of her head telling her what to do. Erik and Nathan finally accept the other somewhat but instead of the improvement she was expecting, everything just took a different turn of horrible. But this time her hands are bound, she can't work this out because she has no idea what's coming next. This is out of her hand. And it's out of Erik's hand. No matter how she twists and turns it, there's just no way for her to protect Erik _and_ her friends. Either it's Erik or everyone else.

What can she do? The concert's only hours away and she has no idea what comes next…

* * *

 _'' Obey your heart and sing for me! ''_

 _'' Bring him down. ''_

 _'' You want it so. ''_

 _'' Think this through. ''_

 _'' Stay and be mine, eternally! ''_

 _'' Here at last, the curtain falls! Devil take the hindmost. ''_

* * *

Nathan stops in front of Holly's and Kat's door. He came here to tell her that, whatever she and the Phantom have planned, he's in. The Phantom might be dangerous but he realized that maybe a lot of things wouldn't have happened if he would have listened to Kat sooner. If he really has some form of mental problems, then Nathan can at least try to see some reason behind his actions. And if he really thinks about everything she told him about that man, Nathan begins to understand her patience. At least a little.

But the sound of screaming and trashing keeps him from knocking. He thinks for a moment. Josh showed him the video about the Phantom beating up that Inspector, they filmed right through the keyhole.

Slowly he lowers to one knee in front of the door and uses his phone to look into the room. Kat violently trashes through her room, tossing and breaking what she can find. Broken, rough screams that sound almost painful to him leave her lungs. Holly stands behind her and cries silent tears as she watches her friend.

What happened? Everything seemed to be more or less fine just yesterday. He noticed the change in her as she got her pills from him this morning already as she just accepted them and left before he could talk to her. Holly shakes her head, her teeth chewing on her lip. With shaky hands she grabs Kat on her shoulders and turns her around,

'' Kat! '' Kathrine looks at her with frustration and fear, the tears in her eyes finally having the chance to fall now that she is not moving any longer. Nathan's eyes narrow. He plays with the thought to get into the room and find out just what the hell happened. But then Kat falls to her knees, her face in Holly's neck and their arms tightly wrapped around each other. The last time he saw Kat like this was several years ago. As he found out about her mental illness.

Holly's grip on her tightens, Kat's hands claw into Holly's clothing,

'' I can't do this…! I don't want to…! Please…! ''

 _What happened?_

* * *

 _'' His wrath will bury you in your arrogance! ''_

 _'' One last chance, for our triumph. ''_

 _'' Don't be foolish! ''_

 _'' The final act! ''_

 _'' Spare her the pain. ''_

 _'' Will she sing? ''_

 _'' Perhaps she won't go on, perhaps she'll break! ''_

 _'' Will she flee? ''_

 _'' It is brutal,_

 _'' Now it's time, no turning back! All is on the line! ''_

 _'' One last chance, to make this right! ''_

 _'' Here at last, the curtain falls! The Phantom's Opera begins! ''_

* * *

Kat looks at herself in the mirror while Madam fastens the strings on the back. The dress was made by Erik, she can see that. She can feel the devotion and the love he put into it, as stupid as it sounds. Whatever Erik makes has this certain touch, a feeling she can't miss. The dress she is supposed to wear is pompous and colourful, it makes her his prize at the end of he battle Erik thinks he's about to win. And if it wasn't for that Inspector's nasty cheating, Erik would win. But now that Kat is no longer an ally, Erik stands no chance. He's convinced she'll assist him in an emergency and Kat has no idea how to inform him of the current situation. He has to know that her hands are bound from now on to make a new plan in time or that bastard really wins in the end. They can't let that happen. But how do they stop the Inspector? He forced her into a corner she can't fight her way out of without risking to destroy her friend's lives.

The Inspector might have promised a court in the Manager's office but she knows how this is going to end. They attack him, he will defend himself, they will shoot him. Even if the Inspector would still be sticking to their agreement, Erik will never make it out of this crossfire alive.

In the end they don't even need _her_ to lure him out of his hiding spot, they just have to _hurt_ _her_. Erik might have promised not to hurt anyone, but he also promised to keep her safe no matter what it costs. And it's not even a question which one of these will have the highest priority to him. If they subdue her on the stage and threaten to hurt her, Erik will attack and the Inspector has a whole crowd witnessing it. No matter how she turns it and twists it, Kat can't find a way out other than hoping he won't show up.

Kat's eyes shift to the rose. A red rose with a black ribbon. He promised to show up before the performance, but he didn't. And if he would still be coming, he would give her that rose himself. Her stomach tightens. She feels sick, like someone just won't stop squeezing her organs.

 _What if somebody got to him already?_

She shakes her head. No, now she's just being paranoid. If anybody would have gotten a hold of Erik, she would know. So why is he not here? Where is he? What is he planning?

She clutches the rose to her chest, remembering his words,

'' _..._ _Devil take the hindmost_ _…_ ''

* * *

Holly stands in the left pocket of the stage with Jessie, Mister Williams, Madam Giry and the Inspector as Kat steps in front of the crowd. There's not much emotion in her eyes but Holly knows her good enough to spot the pain behind that. She hasn't really spoken to anyone since she broke down in their room, she's not even making eye-contact. Not as Mister Williams gave her her medication, not as Madam Giry came to help her into her costume, not as Meg tried to talk to her. She looks like a broken doll. Like one of those lobotomy patients you always see in the horror movies. Kat has the habit to sometimes space out, but right now it almost looks like she has completely shut down.

Mister Williams told Holly and Jessie to keep a close eye on her, that she might be entering or already having an episode. Holly never actually saw her as she was like that, Kat made sure she couldn't come to visit. Sometimes Holly was angry at her friend for allowing their teacher to take care of her but not Holly. Now she understands that Kat only tried to protect her. Mister Williams said she might lash out at any moment and Holly wouldn't stand a chance. It's almost funny that she thinks of her best friend like she's some kind of monster but right now looking into Kat's eyes feels like someone was dumping a bucket with cold water on her. It's making Holly so nervous her whole stomach is cramping. That breakdown happened so quickly, it came without any kind of warning and it completely overwhelmed Holly.

Something must have happened in that time Kat was taking a walk. Because before that she was confident that Erik would be safe and the Inspector couldn't reach him. But since she got back something in her changed. There's a very persistent nagging fear in Holly that the Inspector might have found another way to get to Kat. Because this is no episode, not yet. This is her shutting off to keep others safe. Holly saw it before, experienced it with her before. So what happened?

Her eyes follow Kat's every move carefully. She can't deny that the Phantom's Opera has a very dark touch to it. Kat's character, Aminta, is presented as an innocent young girl, an angel through and through. Don Juan is a man with ten women at each hand, someone that toys with women's minds to get them into bed. And Don Juan wants Aminta to be one of those women. He sees her as his biggest win, his prize. Aminta will only be on the stage for the last part of the Opera, before that there's only rumors about her, vague descriptions to make a good mood.

To be honest, Holly feels a little uneasy about all of this. Kat definitively is more than uneasy, but she plays her part well. The lifeless shadow in her eyes is invisible for the crowd and her movements are, if a little slow, exactly as they should be.

'' _No thought_ _within her heart but thoughts of joy. No dreams within her heart but dreams of love._ '' She's pulling herself together for the performance and Holly is pretty sure that it's not for the audience. Kat walks into the middle of the stage with quick steps, a well-played self-assured smirk on her lips. After glancing at the audience for a moment without really looking at them, Holly sees her eyes moving to Box 5. The grin drops for a second but she soon regains the expression. She walks around the table that was set up with rich food and alcohol, her fingers sliding along the wood. As soon as she reaches the bench she sits down on it.

Kat acts as if she's drunk. Under normal circumstances Holly would believe that she actually drank, but Kat didn't eat or drink anything the whole day. She didn't smoke, she didn't drink a drop of alcohol. She took her pills without water too, even though Kat usually hates the feeling of swallowing pills without water.

'' _Master?_ ''

'' _Passarino… Go away, for the trap is set and waits for his prey._ '' Kat doesn't even acknowledge the leading tenor entering the stage, instead she glances up at Box 5 another time. She seems almost released for a second. Holly takes that he didn't appear yet. But the small relieve barely lasts. Her eyes soon move to her feet. Kat's face is pale, her eyes still dull. Holly spots the faintest tremor in her hands. Holly only saw her once like that, after an episode. It wasn't a pretty sight back then, it still isn't. And what's worst about all this is that there's nothing Holly could do to help. She's forced to watch and keep her bloody feet still.

' _'_ _You have come here in pursuit of your deepest urge. In pursuit of that wish which till now has been silent…_ '' Kat's body visibly tenses as the voice of the Phantom suddenly begins to sing the part Piangi was supposed to do. Holly's eyes narrow, she wouldn't even recognize him if she wouldn't know this precisely what he sounds like. The cloak is covering all of his body, only revealing hands and height of the person. While he clearly is taller than Piangi, the lack of quick movements allows the cloak to perfectly hide his body and even gives it a slightly chubby touch. His voice has a deeper sound as it had on the graveyard, more passionate, more dominant. Cocky, maybe. Like everything goes as he planned. Kat turns her head faintly to look at him and his finger moves to the spot his lips must be, instructing her to remain calm,

'' _Silent…_ '' He definitively caught her by surprise. The small glances Kat threw to box 5 let on that she expected him to appear there, not behind her on the stage. Holly watches how her eyes only hold their shock for a moment longer before they flutter close.

'' _I have brought you, that our passions may fuse and merge. In your mind you've already succumbed to me, dropped all defenses, completely succumbed to me. Now you are here with me… No second thoughts. You've decided…_ '' His movements are clearly calculated, reminding of a predator stalking his prey. The Phantom's voice is rich as it keeps ringing through the Opera and sends shivers down many backs. Madam Giry tenses next to Holly, Mister Williams' and Jessie's eyes are glued to the stage. If not for the familiar voice, Kat's reaction was enough to hint on the true identity of the singer.

Holly's eyes hush to the Inspector. He's tensed, as angry as he was before, but now with a touch of suspicion. He never heard the Phantom sing, maybe that's the only thing keeping him from finding out. But Holly fears that the suspicion will soon turn into knowledge. If not for the reaction of everyone else, then for the way they interact with each other.

'' _Decided_ …'' Even though his face is hidden, it's obvious he's looking at her as he makes a pointing gesture with his arm, causing the cloak to flutter. As if he's dismissing the people around them. Every bit of facial gesture he lacks are successfully replaced with meaningful swirls of his cloak and powerful gestures of his hands.

Kat slowly rises to her feet, whatever fear she held obviously pushed into the back of her mind. There's an excited shadow over her eyes, her lips are twitching.

'' _Past the point of no return, no backward glances. The games_ _of make-believe_ _are at an end…_ '' Similar to the time on the graveyard, Kat completely focused on him. As if his voice could put her under his spell. Except that this time it's a lot worse. Kat's lips are parted, her eyes hooded and her cheeks flushed. Her eyes don't move from him for a second as he walks up to her,

'' _Past all thought of 'if' or 'when', no use resisting. Abandon thought and let the dream descend…_ '' She takes a step closer as he crosses her. They're almost close enough to for his cloak to brush the skirt of her dress. Instead of facing the crowd before them, his focus seems to be solely on her. As if he tries to seduce her only with his voice. And from the looks of it, he's doing a pretty good job with that.

Suddenly he turns on his heels to move in behind her, one hand on her throat, the other possessively wrapped around her waist. Holly jumps at the movement.

'' _What raging fire shall flood the soul?_ '' His voice drops into a dominant growl. Didn't Kat always praise his gentle, emotional behavior around her? She described him like a puppy most of the time. Right now he reminds Holly more of a lion. In fact, he might show a certain love to her but there definitively is that possessive behavior. Maybe Kat really doesn't notice, maybe she just doesn't mind. But it's there. And if Kat ever grows tired of him or wants out of the relationship, he might hurt her.

Suddenly Holly feels nauseous, _what_ is she doing here? She's allowing her best friend to give herself to a psychopath that can snap at any moment and hurt her. Or kill someone in his rage. Instead of helping that man, she should do the right thing and tell the Inspector everything. Protect Kat. But in the end it's not her fight, definitely not her decision. If she likes it or not, in the end Kat is the one who decides what happens next.

And her stunned expression quickly changes into pleasure as Kat leans her head back against Erik's shoulder, her eyes fluttering close. She already made her decision.

'' _What rich desire unlocks its door?_ '' Erik allows his hands to slide over her body, up her shoulder and along her arm until his hands are grasping hers. His covered lips ghost over her skin from her still slightly bruised wrist up to her knuckles and they remain there as he glances up at her,  
'' _What sweet seduction lies before us . . .?_ '' The heavy moving of Kat's shoulders gives away how hard she's breathing.

'' _Pas_ _t_ _the point of no return, the final threshold. What warm, unspoken secrets will we learn?_ '' Slowly Erik leads her backwards, one hand releasing its hold on her to make an open gesture. Holly's not sure if Kat was supposed to act or react to this somehow. Her friend surely makes no move to tear her foggy eyes from the man in front of her.

But then suddenly Kat stops and Erik looses her hand. Her breathe stops and Holly sees her head moving to the side slightly. Holly's eyes move across the stage to find out what caused her to stop and she soon spots the reason for Kat's sudden change. One of the guards has his gun aiming at them, his eyes narrowed. Holly's eyes widen as she looks at the Inspector. Despite what just happened, his face isn't twisted in defeat or anger, only mock. He can't possibly still think he's got the upper hand, can he?

'' _Beyond the point of no… return…_ '' Holly looks back to the two people on the stage to find Kat suddenly taking some distance to him. Shaking her head slowly she turns and rushes towards their exit. Until the Inspector takes a step forwards and Kat abruptly freezes. The previous mask that was so carefully guarding her emotions dropped. The Inspector narrows his eyes at her, a dirty grin on his lips that Holly would love to just smack right off of him. Kat's eyes close, the pain clearly visible. It almost seems as if the past few minutes on the stage never happened.

'' _You have brought me, to that moment where_ _words run dry… To that moment where speech disappears into silence…_ _Silence…_ '' Her voice holds the faintest quiver in the beginning before slowly regaining some of its strength. Through the whole first line, Kat's eyes don't move from the Inspector, her weak glare against his smirk. Kat's arms are at her sides,

'' _I have come here, hardly knowing the reason why…_ '' Kat shrugs her shoulders as she looks up at the ceiling, a smile on her lips that lets on she's blaming herself for something. As soon as she turns to Erik she titles her head, her shoulders relaxing a little, her voice dropping into the seductive sound it was supposed to hold. She wraps her arms around herself,

'' _In my mind I've already imagined our bodies entwining, defenseless and silent. And now I am here with you… no second thoughts. I've decided…_ '' Suddenly her voice grows more serious. She glances around and stops then on the Phantom,

'' _Decided_ …''

'' What is she doing? '' Holly winces from the voice of the guard close to her. Kat begins to make small gestures in her performance. It takes Holly a moment before she realizes that she's letting the Phantom know where the guards are. The Inspector's grin drops, his voice changing into a growl of anger.

'' She's warning him…'' The motions are fluently working with what she was supposed to do, but it's recognizable for those that know what's going on. Holly's eyes move to the Inspector, he's broiling with anger,

'' Get everyone ready, we will strike now- '' Suddenly Madam Giry pushes herself in front of him,

'' Monsieur please! If you'd only look at the audience for a moment- they are in awe. Interrupting now will only cause trouble. '' The man's glaring daggers at the older woman but Madam Giry doesn't falter.

'' And he will have an easy escape. '' Madam nods at his whispered words. He glares at his officer,

'' Get everything ready. The moment the curtain falls, his show ends. '' With a nod the Officer hurries away, probably to warn the others. Madam Giry relaxes somewhat and Holly silently cheers for the balls that woman has. While it would be easier for the Phantom to escape in chaos, the time they get might be enough for him and Kat to figure something out that doesn't end in dungeon and death for anyone.

'' _Past the point of no return… No going back now. What passion play has now at last beg_ _u_ _n?_ '' With a confident but clearly faked alluring smile, Kat walks around him. He's not moving but Holly is sure his eyes are following every move she makes. For a moment it looks like Kat whispers something to Erik while she crosses him. But his lack of reaction and her push of frustration makes it hard to tell.

'' _Past all thought of 'right' or 'wrong'…_ _One final question:_ '' Kat suddenly turns on her heels, the quiver returned to her voice. Erik visibly tenses under the cloak, probably because he spots the tears in her eyes,

'' _How long should we two wait before we're one? When will the blood begin to rise? The sleeping bud burst into bloom? When will the flames at last… consume us…_ '' Her voice drops as her body cramps. Erik's hands are at his sides, his fingers nervously shaking. She's supposed to move while her singing, to be seductive and bold. But right now she just looks like her heart would be breaking more with each passing second. The Inspector looks at the display with a certain smugness A look around quickly tells her that she's not the only one that'd like to push a dagger into that asshole's stomach and twist it. He did something to her, threatened her with something she can't find a way out of, Holly's sure of that now.

Mister Williams slowly seems to get the hint too because he narrows his eyes at the Inspector. All the hate he held for Erik is now directed at that slimy psychopath, at least for the moment. Holly still wouldn't trust Mister Williams with Erik in the same room, but at least he's focusing on the real threat. Well, the real _current_ threat that means. She wouldn't go as far to say Erik isn't a potential threat, but at least right now he seems to be in control of himself.

Holly can see 4 of the Inspector's men but where is the impressive rest? Where did he hide them? Does he know where the Phantom is hiding? Is he waiting for an attempt of Erik to escape so that he can capture him in his own home? Are they at the many entrances of the Opera ready to strike? Or are they hiding within the audience to shoot him the moment they have a clear sight on him? He might have promised Kat not to shoot him, but that was before he found out Kat and Erik tried to play him.

Slowly the two people on the stage walk towards each other. While Erik's steps are confident, Kat apparently doesn't dare to close the gap between them.

'' _Past the point of no return… the final threshold…_ '' Their voices are laying over each other in perfect synchronization, as if they practiced this song for decades. He holds his hand out to her. Kat's first instinct obviously is to take it because her steps become, while not steadier, a little quicker and her own hand rises. But right before she places her hand in his, she flinches back as if his touch would burn her. His hand slightly lowers, almost in confuse. Holly's eyes narrow, what is she doing? Kat quickly rounds him, tries to run away from him. What the hell is going on there?

'' _The bridge is crossed so_ **stand**!- '' Erik is behind her in the blink of an eye, his hand grasping her on her arm tightly to pull her back to him. Holly winces as Kat trips from the force behind his tug, colliding right with his body that stops her from falling. With one hand still on her wrist and the other tightly around her waist he secures her against him. Protecting her as much as he's controlling her. Holly feels an uncomfortable nagging in the back of her mind.

'' _And watch it burn…_ '' They stare at each other. Suddenly Kat titles her head to the side, avoiding his glance. Holly can see her biting her lip. The Phantom makes no move to stop her as she lifts her hands to the hem of his hood. Holly's eyes widen,

 _What the hell is she doing? They'll see who he is if she pulls that hood off! The Inspector will see and abruptly interrupt the show! The only reason he didn't do so yet is because he's got no real proof to throw himself at the man. But he knows the Phantom's face. Everyone knows that mask! If Kat pulls that hood back, she'll kill him…!_

Holly grasps Jessie's hand as she sees him taking a step closer to the stage. They exchange a silent glance.

'' _We've passed the point of no… return_ …'' Kat's body is trembling, her muscles tensed. Her teeth chew furiously on her lip as she pulls the hood back, revealing the man beneath it. A round of gasping goes through the crowd as they realize who the man on the stage is. After everything that happened the past weeks, the Phantom became more famous than ever.

Kat's body crumbles, she's crying. She shuts her eyes close and presses her teeth together, tries to keep control.

'' I'm so sorry…! '' Holly can barely hear her silent apology, but it's there. The Phantom's arms wrap around her waist to pull her as close as possible. As she buries her face in his chest, he presses a gentle kiss to the crown of her head. The look in his eyes is evidence enough: He had no idea that this was going to happen. Whatever he planned is ruined now. His eyes move through the audience, hushing over the guards another time. Maybe he's trying to figure out something else, find a new way for them to somehow win this.

He closes his eyes after a while, his nose nuzzling her hair softly. Is he giving up? The way she clings to him definitively looks like she is convinced she'll see him for the last time now. And he almost looks like he would be thinking the same. While the music fades, none of them moves. Holly doesn't know if there was something supposed to happen or not. Monsieur Reyer sure does look a little confused. But thinking about everything that's happening right now, it might not be related to the choreography.

The audience doesn't even realize how serious the situation is, they think it's part of the show. If they think that the Phantom was only a gig for promotion or if they really think the beast fell in love and is now tamed Holly can't tell. One thing she can say for sure though: The Inspector's grin causes her stomach to tighten and her heart to drop.

With a flick of his hand the other guards get in position. Mister Williams' eyes are still focused on the couple on the stage but he faintly looks at the guards as he sees them getting ready. He's biting the inside of his cheek, his fingers twitching. Jessie's eyes are wide, his hand squeezing Holly's tightly, his other hand curled to a fist at his side. His glare flickers between the Inspector and Kat. Meg has tears in her eyes, her hands folded in front of her chest. The younger girl is trembling. Madam still seems somewhat collected but the faintest tremor running through her body ever so often is giving her away. Even though Holly can barely see them, the managers seem just as hopeless about the situation as everyone else. There's the smallest hint in their glances that they're not so sure about how to react and Holly can't blame them.

The Inspector's hand rises, ready to signal everyone to attack as soon as the curtain drops.

'' _Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime…_ '' Holly's eyes narrow in confuse as the Phantom's voice suddenly floats through the room. This song definitely isn't part of the opera, it's too gentle. The Opera was dark, passionate and dominant. It was the Phantom's triumph over finally possessing Kat, having her for himself even though there are many more that want her. Even though she never let anyone have her before.

'' _Need me, save me from my solitude… Say you want me with you here, beside you._ '' Kat's eyes open. With a shocked, unsure expression she takes a step back but his hand holds onto hers. The audience watches in awe how the Phantom suddenly pulls a ring into sight and sticks it on her finger. Kat mentioned a ring he wanted her to wear, she said that she placed it with the wedding dress out of sight before Mister Williams came for her 'rescue'.

Kat's eyes are wide, her body rigid as she's leaning away.

 _Out of all the places he could possibly be trying to propose again, he chooses the stage? Now?!_

Erik looks into her eyes as he clasps her hand again,

'' _Anywhere you go let me go too… Kathrine, that's all I ask of you-_ '' He cannot finish the last note because Kat steps in close again. The audience makes noises of both approval and shock as Kat grabs his collar and pulls him down into a kiss. Holly would be lying if she wouldn't admit that she feels a tad dizzy right now. That was a yes. She said yes.

Erik only hesitates for a short moment before he returns the kiss enthusiastically. His arms wrap around her waist tightly to spin her in the sudden flood of emotion that is clearly written all over his face. The moment he responded to the kiss, the audience begins to applause and cheer loudly.

The couple soon breaks apart and the crowd grows quiet as Kat takes a step back. Holly's eyes narrow, Erik's and Kat's breathes are erratic. The orchestra is silent, the audience tensed. Everyone seems to wait for the next move of the two people on the stage. Slowly Kat's face twists into what is probably the softest, happiest smile Holly ever saw on her…

* * *

Erik's heart is beating widely in his chest. She accepted his proposal. She accepted him. Not only in privacy, no, she presented her love in front of all these people. Kathrine kissed his hideous self and right now he cannot bring himself to fear for any consequences, cannot bring himself to think about the horrid fate that might never allow them to live a truly happy life. Right now all he can think of is the woman before him, wearing his ring with such pride and love that he is not sure if his heart can take it. Oh and the expression on her face, he will never forget this beautiful smile.

A small sting of confusion crosses him as he watches her teeth suddenly capturing her bottom lip briefly. Her eyes move to the ground and back to him,

'' _…In sleep he sang to me… in dreams he came…That voice which calls to me and speaks my name…_ _And_ _do I dream_ _again_ _? For now I find…_ '' Her voice rings through the auditorium, the lack of music not taking any of it's astonishing beauty. Kathrine takes another step away from him, her hand slowly releasing his. She straightens her back a little, as if suddenly recalling everything they ever discussed in their lessons. And oh, her voice is powerful.

'' _The Phantom of the Opera is there… inside my mind…_ '' His eyes widen in realization. His song, she is singing his song. The song he wanted to share with her for so long, the song they never really could discover. She rejected him as he tried to sing with her after he first revealed himself to her. She was too shy, too unbelieving about her voice and her gift to understand and live his music. But now? There is no text, no instructions, nothing that tells her what to do. Not even a melody. His angel is not only accepting him, she finally embraces _his_ _music_. While her hand lowers at her side, his stays risen between their bodies as he captures her tempting eyes,

'' _Sing once again with me, our strange duet. My power over you, grows stronger yet._ '' He takes a step closer to her, his fingers brushing along her jaw to make sure her attention stays on him. Not on the people behind the stage, not on the audience that can still frighten her so immensely. On him.

'' _And though you turn from me, to glance behind…_ '' The step he took towards her to touch her he now retreats. His arms open in a self-assured invitation, his voice echoing through the room. The people in the last row will hear their song.

'' _The Phantom of the Opera is there… inside your mind._ '' Slowly he forces his body to turn from her, his steps leading him to one end of the stage, Kathrine follows at the same pace,

'' _Those who have seen your face… draw back in fear. I am the mask you wear…_ '' As soon as he slipped out of the coat, his hands smooth over his wig, straightening the hair on it before swiftly turning back to her. She's so close to him. Her hand rises somewhat, reaching out for him without making a move to really touch him.

'' _It's me they hear._ '' They close the gap between them again. Like he did before in their private lessons, he lifts his hand into her sight before making a fist in front of her stomach. She abruptly follows his silent instruction to bundle her voice not only in her throat but focus on her breathing, focus on the way the music floods through her. Comes alive in her.

'' _My/Your spirit and my/your voice, in one combined_ …'' Her voice becomes louder, stronger, now that she focuses on his lead. While her eyes solely follow his hand, his own glance never leaves her face. Her eyes are shining but she is focused, ready to follow every instruction he offers. He moves his fist up slowly, his hand opening as soon as it is in the same height as her mouth. Her voice reaches its best point the moment he motions her voice to flow freely through the room,

'' _The Phantom of the Opera is there…_ '' His hand drops only to move up to her face again. Erik allows his knuckles to softly brush along her cheek, causing her eyes to follow the motion. Finally she's meeting his gaze, their voices laying over each other flawlessly.

'' _Inside my/your mind_ …'' Erik cannot say when Monsieur Reyer picked up on the familiar music and started leading the orchestra into playing his music. He only notices as they stop singing and the music continues perfectly without missing a beat.

Monsieur Reyer has always been capable to lead the musicians precisely and Erik made sure there are only people in the choir that know how to play their instruments. He wouldn't want amateurs to ruin anything. Kathrine's eyes close as his hand lingers on her jaw, his eyes never moving from her face. A quick idea grips Erik and he walks away from her. As he notices that her eyes are focusing on one of the guards that's glaring at her from behind the stage, he grabs her hand. His touch started off rougher than he intended so while allowing his hand to slide from her wrist up to her hand, he changes the hand to hold hers. The contact between them is enough to make her focus on him again and ignore whatever is happening around them. He leads her into the middle of the stage and gently urges her to look out into the crowd. As soon as he notices her body tensing, he puts his hands on her upper arms. He gives her body a gentle, reassuring squeeze. A silent reminder of his promise to never let anyone harm her. To stay with her and keep her safe,

'' _In all you_ _fantasies_ _, you always knew… that man and mystery…_ '' She leans into his touch, her eyes closing again but this time in pure comfort,

'' _W_ _e_ _re both in you…_ '' He smiles as she easily finishes his line. His little hurricane learned so much in that short time. He knew it, she was born to be on a stage. She was destined for a great career. The hand that is wearing his ring places over his gently and he uses that opportunity to once more take her hand in both of his, pull her along slowly. Moving. He wants her to keep moving, keep focusing on him and not on the people that are so astonished by their song.

'' _And in this labyrinth, where night is blind, the Phantom of the Opera is here inside my/_ _your_ _mind._ '' The finger that softly moved along her cheek now points at her, his voice commanding,

'' Sing, my angel of music! ''

'' _He's there… the Phantom of the Opera._ '' His eyes instantly close in pleasure as her voice fills his senses. He adores her, loves her beyond imagination. But nothing compares to the impact her voice has on him. Erik never drops his hand as he takes a few steps away from her, his voice cutting into her note but she is not distracted by it, her voice never breaks.

'' Sing for me! '' Her chest raises as she inhales a deep breathe to sing a high C. Kathrine's eyes never move from his person as she slowly closes the gap between them again.

'' Sing! '' His feet take two more steps away from her but she swiftly follows.

'' Sing. '' Her shoulders are barely rising anymore, her chin dips almost onto her chest instead of rising when she grasps a new note. Her obvious struggle while the performance had a certain effect on her voice. It was not very negative and he even doubts that anyone in the audience heard it. But latest now they will notice her true potential. What she is capable of if she focuses.

'' Sing! '' A gesture of his arm tells her to face the crowd again. And she does. Without complaining, without really focusing on what they might think. This time he can proudly say that he is the only one she is paying attention to. Every time she inhales a new breathe to start another note, he silently motions her to continue. To push past her boundaries. The sound of her voice is sending shivers of pleasure down his back. Nobody ever managed to capture him like she does. Her voice has a raspy sound sometimes, rough. It mirrors her wild character, her untameable nature. When Kathrine sings, her voice looses that raspy sound and can only be compared to an angel's voice. No, not an angel. Her voice is too strong for that. She easily surpassed any angel with the newfound compassion and confidence. Kathrine's voice is the one of a goddess. And she is _his_.

'' Sing! '' He can see her cheeks flushing, her body jerking every time she inhales a quick breathe to be able to sing the next note the moment he instructs her to. Watching his beautiful fiancee doing her best to sing for him until he allows her to stop, Erik cannot remember every feeling such a deep inner satisfaction before.

Kathrine is not the kind of person to allow others to order her around. Despite her willingness to learn from him in the beginning, there was always a bitter sound in her voice when he demanded her submission. -Which he never fully received until now. She would not submit to anyone, always be her own leader. He cannot deny the proud swell of his chest as her eyes find his again. There is no fight in them, no urge to stop and snap at him for ordering her around. There is only the complete submission to his instructions. No longer able to hold the distance between them he quickly stands at her side,

'' Sing for me! '' Her voice reaches its climax as he urges her to face the audience again. His hand slowly curls into a fist before her throat. They did this a lot as she was with him. He soon noticed that she needs something she can adapt to but it was only after he revealed himself to her that he could offer this. In his home though, where she could fully see him, he soon added his hand to motion his instructions, brought movements into it. It improved her skills even more.

At the same moment his hand closes to a tight fist, her voice halts. The crowd does not even need half a second after her voice stops before they begin to cheer. Flowers fall into their direction, the loud clapping fills the whole room. Erik cannot remember ever hearing applause that loud. Kathrine's mouth stays open as she breathes in a heavy gasp of air, filling her lungs with the oxygen she refused them on his behalf. To sing his song the way he wanted her to. _Their_ song.

Slowly she lowers her head, her lips only slightly parted as her chest moves quickly through her heavy breathing. He takes her hand into his and kisses her knuckles, bowing slightly before her. Erik smiles at her, his voice filled with all the reward and pride he possesses,

'' Wonderful. Mere words can never describe the perfection of your voice… My goddess of music. '' Her eyes abruptly meet his and her lips stretch into a wide smile. His eyes follow their movement and the sudden urge to kiss her runs through his mind. He stares at her, silently asking for her permission to indicate yet another gesture of intimacy so openly before everyone else. Erik would not hold it against her if she refuses. The fact that she kissed him once is more than he could ever have asked for. Especially since he he faced the crowd with his mask as she pressed her lips to his in her eager response to his proposal.

Another sting of excitement runs through his body. She accepted his proposal.

Kathrine's eyes hood, her smile turning softer. Right now that is all the answer he needs. While one hand still holds onto the hand that wears his ring and entwines their fingers, his other hand cups her cheek. Their lips meet in a loving kiss and if that is even possible, the cheering behind them grows louder. If only this moment would never end…

* * *

Holly watches with a soft smile on her lips how the two interact. She can't say if they studied that song before, but he sure as hell seemed happy that she suddenly started singing it. Holly is pretty sure that she's not the only one whose mouth dropped to the floor as Kat began to sing that high note. Mister Williams and Jessie were gaping the whole song through and Holly can't quite decide who of them looked funnier. She did hit those high notes well before but this was amazing. Even though Erik gave her many orders through the song, she didn't complain. She even faced the audience as he told her to without making a fuss. The first time Kat faced the huge crowd she tensed, but his hands on her shoulders seemed to relax her. Holly heard her singing before, of course. But the way they harmonized with each other now was absolutely astonishing. She sounded so completely… _Opera_. Kat always tended to sing whenever she could, wherever she could. But Opera was never something she even tried. Not honestly at least. Out of fun once or twice maybe…

* * *

The kiss is different from the first one they shared. There are no tears, no rage and no pain. Unlike the first time where they kissed and he had no idea how or if to react, Erik's hands now soon find her hips to pull her closer. The loud applause barely reaches his ears over the wild beating of his heart. They break the kiss as the curtain falls. Erik looks at her lovingly, his thump caressing her cheek,

'' My Kathrine…'' They look up as they hear people approaching them. Erik first expects the Inspecteur to attack but instead he is met with the Girys, Kathrine's class and the Managers. Monsieur Firmin and Monsieur André have a somewhat frightened look on their faces, unsure about how to react to this unfamiliar situation. Madam Giry is pale but there is a bit of release in her eyes. As much as Erik would like to just push it aside, he cannot help but wonder what is stopping the Inspecteur to make his move.

'' Your Don Juan is still sleeping behind the stage. Somebody might want to wake him. '' Erik says calmly before anyone else has the chance to speak up. Carlotta gasp. Kathrine abruptly turns to him, surprise clearly written all over her face,

'' Sleeping? You knocked him out? ''

'' I used chloroform. That way I could not hurt him in any way. ''

'' I didn't think you would…'' She trails off. It is obvious everyone thought the same.

'' You had every reason to mistrust me. But I am willing to keep my vow. '' Kathrine nods at him with a smile. Carlotta runs off, probably to go to her husband.

'' You useless little _putain_! We had him where we wanted him but you had to go and ruin everything! '' (whore) Suddenly 5 guards surround the small crowd...

\- Author's Note -

Okay I know I owe all of you an apology. I actually just had to check the last parts for errors but I couldn't get past my damn block again. I have these far too often. But I am writing again and I have this story finished. The last parts will follow directly, promised.

 **JoanneCullen - .witch - crimsonbloodmoon1 - Precedy**

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR REVIEWS THEY SAVE MY LIFE!

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	19. Chapter 18 -What Raging Fire Shall Flood

**Chapter 18 – What Raging Fire Shall Flood The Soul**

* * *

The Inspector walks up to Erik and Kathrine, his face twisted in rage. With a flick of the man's hand, the soldiers point their guns at the others. Madam Giry abruptly takes a protective step in front of Meg while Mister Williams tries to somewhat cover his students. The Managers stand frozen to the spot. None of the people really seems to know what to do. Erik's arm tightens around Kathrine's waist, pulling her against him, ready to push shield her with his body should the man attempt to shoot them. But the Inspecteur seems only very little interested in the Phantom right now because his eyes are burning at Kathrine. He refrains from coming close enough to be in direct reach though, what Erik notices with somewhat smug satisfaction. His eyes faintly move to the woman at his side who suddenly lost every bit of her fear. Erik's eyes narrow in confuse, what is going on in her head? What is causing the confident little smirk all of the sudden? On the stage Erik was sure she would break down any moment.

'' What do you believe did you accomplish with your little trick! '' Kathrine's head titles to the side, her lips pursed in mock, her hip bumping his slightly as she demonstratively pushes it out,

'' What I was thinking? Hm… let's see… The audience, the rich snobs and the poorest beggars, love us. Newspapers write articles right at this moment about the romantic plot twist at the end of the dark Opera. Headlines will speak of the infamous Phantom finding love. And if there's one thing that every human on earth adores… it's romance. What do you think happens if you now try to arrest anyone? Can you really allow yourself that scandal? '' Erik feels like kissing her again. He never considered using the audience for their advantage. Not like this at least. He had a few ideas about using the large number of people to escape, to blend in. But tricking them into adoring them never crossed his mind. The Inspecteur spits acid at her, his hands curling to fists,

'' You are a psychopath! The both of you! You are just another brainless whore blinded by ignorance and sin! It will be a service to the world to execute you! '' While he yells at her in his rage, Kathrine stays completely calm. Her fingers are currently fumbling with the clips in her hair that attach the wig to her head. Madam Giry takes a step towards the Inspecteur but halts abruptly as guns are aiming at her. Meg whimpers. There are tears streaming down her young face. Erik feels that familiar disgust in his body, the anger that is slowly filling his every vein. The Inspecteur is playing with fire. But the calm state Kathrine is in keeps him from throwing himself at the man. He could take those officers out, he could kill them. Maybe he would be injured in the end but it would be worth it.

'' Monsieur please- ''

'' You cannot- ''

'' Silence! ''

'' _Open the dress_. '' Erik's eyes hush to Kathrine, narrowing in confuse. The confident smirk on her full lips never falters. He held her back the last time this vermin tried to come between them. Maybe he should begin to trust her. But there is a certain worry nagging on him. They could kill her should she miscalculate anything. Can he really take that risk?

Erik's eyes narrow as he inconspicuously opens the strings of the dress…

'' You cannot do this! ''

'' You've got no right to shoot 'em! It'll be a murder and you know it! '' While the people around them try to stop the police-man from doing any drastic actions, Kathrine slowly takes out the lasting clips. Erik watches her putting the clips calmly into the pocket of his pants. Instead of taking the wig off, her arms cross over her chest, his arm around her waist is enough to keep the dress in place,

'' Know what I'm thinking Britney? Your Boss has no idea about what's going on here. You got, what, 5 men with ya? If this would be a serious attempt to capture someone like _him,_ you'd bring a lot more people. This is not an order of your Boss, this is personal revenge. '' Everyone stops, the guards seem to freeze. The Inspecteur loses some of his dominant stance as he glares at Kathrine. Erik's eyes narrow in interest. She is right, he has quite the reputation by now. Should they really attempt to arrest the Phantom, they would never send so few men. At first he was sure there would be more men in the audience but if that would be the case, they would be here by now, would they not? There were no men waiting outside, he checked that twice. But personal revenge? He cannot remember ever meeting that man, why would he hold a grudge then? But the sudden strange look on the Inspecteur's face is all the reassurance he needs. Kathrine is indeed right.

'' There is no place on this world for a freak and his whore! You two are abominations! You think you can just get away with everything that has happened?!- '' Kathrine shrugs,

'' Yeah. ''

'' Justice will always find you and at some point you will regret the day you put your life out for this deformed bastard! '' Erik's eyes widen slightly, how can he know about his face? Has the scholar told him this detail? No, after what happened he seemed to rest the attempt to come between him and Kathrine and he did not know before he followed them. So who is that man? While Erik feels slightly stunned, Kathrine apparently completely looses her calm collected self. Her eyes are blown wide open with fury, her teeth grit and her body tensed,

'' Hey, you wanna go?! Erik, hold my wig! '' Before he can argue with her, let alone react, Kathrine pushes the wig into his hands. He briefly looks down at the object before focusing back on his angel,

'' Kathrine what are you- '' He breaks off as she pushes the dress off her shoulders. Instead of any form of underwear or a thinner gown beneath the dress, Kathrine wears the familiar black pair of sweatpants she used to sleep in and a thin, tight shirt that only covers her chest so that her stomach and arms are visible. She once mentioned that she is barely fighting or training in anything uncomfortable. His eyes narrow, she was prepared for a fight? Of course Erik was prepared to fight, but Kathrine appeared to be much more prepared for a mental break-down than anything else. But now she is glaring at the Inspecteur with her hands curled to tight fists,

'' I'm about to beat little red ridin' hood! '' Erik's rage is covered in both confuse and an unwell feeling as he watches his future wife quickly trying to get close to the Inspecteur. She stops right before him as he aims a pistol at her, pointing it right between her eyes,

'' You arrogant- '' Before Erik has the chance to step between them and finally put an end to that cunning little rat, Kathrine's hand snatches the hand with the gun and pushes it out of her way so fast Erik almost misses the motion entirely. The bullet that could easily have killed her now hits something on the ceiling and has everyone wincing but before the round of screaming has fully started, Kathrine's other hand lashes out at the Inspecteur's face and scratches deep gashes over it, almost blinding him. The overwhelmed Inspecteur does not even get the time to scream in pain before Kathrine tackles him. With fluent movements she wraps one of her legs around his throat and the other around his torso while both her hands now hold onto the wrist with the gun. She forces his arm into a fully stretched position and uses the swing of her attack to push them both over what allows her to toss his entire body aside as if it was nothing more but a ragged doll. Kathrine easily rolls off his shoulders and comes down on all four elegantly while the Inspecteur crashes to the ground hard and loud. The unpleasant crack his shoulder makes informs Erik that Kathrine broke it brutally. The man on the ground isn't even stirring, his arm oddly stretched from him, his face bleeding badly and his neck painfully twisted.

Erik's eyes widen, his lips parting slightly. He was aware of the fact that Kathrine has quite a bit of strength, he experienced it himself. But he did not expect that she is capable of something like this. The Inspecteur is not unconscious but he is obviously too stunned to react to his current state. Kathrine straightens her back and glares down at the man, the gun suddenly in her own hand. She rolls her head on her shoulders, her eyes have a shadow over them that has him shivering. And all of the sudden Erik realizes how easily she could have killed him.

Of course he knew that it was not only him who restrained himself, that she held back as well. But until now he was convinced that, in a fight they both intend to win, he would be the last one standing. Now that he has seen what Kathrine is capable of, Erik realizes that she could beat him without having to use half of her strength.

Every time he grabbed her, pushed her- even hit her- she was not only capable to free herself, she could also have killed him before he would have had the chance to react or block. Which has another thought, another question, quickly coming to his mind.

Kathrine's reaction to his murders have been surprisingly sober. There was no disgust on her face, no fear in her voice. Is it possible that perhaps Kathrine has a history of her own that includes taking another person's life?

Kathrine's grip on the gun is steady, as if she is familiar with holding such an object, familiar with using it. Completely paralyzed, Erik watches how that very gun is suddenly aimed at him and Kathrine's finger moves to the trigger. Her eyes are cold as they meet his, her voice dangerous,

'' Get down. '' Even though his head is still frozen, his body reacts to her order and moves out of the way just in time for the incoming bullet to miss him. The guard that was right behind falls to his knees with a loud scream of pain. A look over his shoulder soon as Erik spotting the guard that is desperately holding onto his bleeding hand. The gun that was in his grasp is now out of his reach. The guard next to the man raises his pistol in the attempt to shoot but Kathrine is faster and a shot to the man's left foot quickly has him in a similar position to the man next to him.

To Erik's surprise, Kathrine drops the pistol instead of taking out the remaining 3 guards with it. The moment the weapon is out of her hands, she makes a cartwheel to quickly reach the guards closest to her. Instead of stopping next to him though, she moves in for another spin and her legs wrap around his throat. For only half a second she sits on his shoulders until she uses the swing of her jump to pull the man along and force his whole body to flip 180° before crashing him face-first into the ground. Kathrine, of course, gracefully comes down on the guard's back on all four.

The next guard is close, even if he wanted to, he couldn't escape her. So all he can do is watch helplessly how Kathrine rolls off the man's back similar to the way she rolled off of Erik after she jumped him in her eager happiness and remains on her back just long enough to kick the man's legs apart. Kathrine is back on her feet before the man hits the ground. Before he can stumble back to his feet, Kathrine grabs his rifle and crashes it down on his head. The last guard clings to his own rifle as he steps backwards. His eyes are wide open in terror. Erik wonders what this young boy is doing within the group.

However innocent the boy might look, Kathrine is quickly right in front of him. Using her whole body to give her kick more power, her leg quickly moves towards the boy's head. As the young man suddenly drops his rifle and raises his arms above his head, Kathrine's foot stops barely a centimeter before his nose,

'' I give up! '' He screams and falls to his knees. There is a cut in his palm where the bullet brushed his skin. Kathrine still has her foot in height of her head, her leg completely still and her eyes narrowed. Her expression is not even flinching as the young man at her feet sheds a tear of panic,

'' Please don't hurt me! '' Slowly she lowers her foot. Every muscle, every movement is controlled. The way she jumps and the way she took those men out mean that she was in fact telling the truth as she told him she is fighting for money. There's show behind her deadly movements that easily cause the kind of fascination people who visit these public events are looking for. Erik can feel his hands sweating a bit as he watches his lovely fiancee suddenly turning into a cold killer. With the same danger in her eyes she leans down to the man who abruptly shrinks back, her voice cold,

'' You will go back to your Boss and tell him that one of his men planned to illegally arrest innocent tourists and workers of the Opera. Tell him he was ready to kill whoever comes into his way, not for an honest attempt to bring justice but out of personal revenge. Explain to him that he attacked me at night and not only threatened my life but also blackmailed me. Tell your Boss that little fucker was ready to arrest the people around me should I refuse to play his puppet. You _will_ make sure that he understands that the Inspector violated several laws which will have _nasty_ consequences should we bring this to public attention. Understood? '' Erik's eyes narrow as he watches his Fiancee towering over the frightened young soldier. The guard nods hastily,

'' Y-yes Madam! I will! I swear! '' She nods and rises to her feet. As her eyes focus on the Inspecteur they narrow,

'' You might want to get a Doctor as well. His shoulder is dislocated and the wounds need to be cleaned before they get infected. I may or may not have caused a little damage to his skull as well, so if you wanna make sure he stays alive you get him into a hospital asap. '' The young man to her feet nods again but he does not dare to leave Kathrine out of his sight. A wise move. Even though her posture relaxes and her voice grew a bit softer, there's still darkness in her eyes. As she moves her focus back to the guard he shrinks back,

'' Your hand's gonna be okay, just clean the cut and wrap it up. Same goes for your mates. Lucky you I'm a damn good shot. '' After the man fails to react any other than stare at her, Kathrine titles her head to the side,

'' Go. '' The young man does not need another word to flee the Opera as fast as he can. Slowly Kathrine's cold glare eases back into a relaxed expression. With a long sigh she rolls her shoulders, stretches her back until Erik can hear some joints popping. The grin returns to her face as she comes back to Erik's side,

'' See, told ya I can handle myself. ''

'' You did indeed. Forgive me my previous doubts. '' Kathrine pats his chest as soon as she's in front of him, a warm smile on her lips but a cheeky sparkle in her eyes. The stage is quiet for a moment until an agonized moan and the rustling of cloths announces that the Inspecteur can move again. Before anyone has the chance to react to that, two lines suddenly stick to the Inspecteur's face and throat and his body begins to spasm. Erik follows the lines all the way to the small, black object in Kathrine's hand. Her expression is innocent as she smiles up at him like a child caught stealing candy.

'' Is that… a taser? '' Kathrine releases the button that obviously activates the electricity and the Inspecteur's body drops lifelessly to the ground. Erik is very certain that this time he won't recover that quick.

'' Yep. ''

'' Will your actions bring any trouble? ''

'' Maybe. '' Erik allows himself to inspect her from head to toe,

'' Where in the devil's name did you hide that? '' She smirks and wiggles her eyebrows at him. Realization soon strikes him. With a groan he titles his head down, his eyes closed in frustration.

'' Dear god…''

'' Nope, still just Kat. But close. '' A somewhat uncomfortable silence falls over them. While neither of Kathrine's class seems to be especially nervous with the Phantom so close to them, the managers display quite the uneasiness with the current situation. Erik haunted them for years, made them believe he is in fact more than a simple man. This situation is… odd. Erik can understand their discomfort.

'' So… are you guys gonna bow or something? Cause it really sounds like they're still there. '' Jessie says while nodding to the curtain. Holly has her arms crossed over her chest, her face is a little pale but she looks released. Kathrine is looking at both of them, Erik's glance moves to the scholar. Their eyes abruptly meet. While Erik notices nothing fond in them, he certainly sees the acceptance Kathrine was fighting for so desperately. The one Erik has denied her for too long. They nod at each other. It might be time to come to equal terms, for Kathrine.

Firmin is the first to regain his posture somewhat,

'' Of course! P-please, clear the stage and…'' He trails off as he inspects the 5 unconscious men lying on the stage. André turns to the background behind the stage where Erik abruptly spots the gaping crowd and waves for two men of the staff to take care of this. They hesitate a moment, their eyes are locket on the Phantom. As Kathrine seems to realize that he is glaring them down she nudges him with her elbow. His eyes move down to her, she gives him a warning glance. Firmin now, too, shakes out of his paralysis,

'' If someone would be so kind to remove them. '' Soon two staff-members step onto the stage to carry the men away. They are more gentle with the Inspecteur, obviously not willing to touch his shoulder in any way. It does look very unpleasant. A smug satisfaction soon consumes Erik, the man will be in a lot of pain as soon as he awakens. Not only because of the shoulder. His head was damaged through the way Kathrine tossed him to the ground and he probably received a lot of bruising. Thinking about the way the taser affected his body, there surely will be an aftermath for his muscles as well. Of course there is the deep gashes all over his face as well. Erik cannot say for sure if Kathrine injured his eyes as well but it certainly will hurt.

With the Inspecteur gone, Kathrine's class and the managers also leave the stage and Madam uses the chance to approach Kathrine,

'' May I help you into the dress again? '' Kathrine looks down at herself,

'' Can't I bow like that? ''

'' No. '' Erik's voice answers before Madam has the chance to.

'' Why not? '' His eyes close in frustration,

'' You are almost naked. ''

'' It's a sports-bra and sweatpants. That's not almost naked. '' He gives her a look. With a dramatic sigh she lifts her hands over her head.

'' Fine. '' They barely fasten the strings of the dress, only enough to keep it on her body until the curtain falls once more. The wig is thrown over her head and attached with 3 clips.

Erik was not sure if he should leave but in the end he stayed for the bow. He cannot deny that he felt his heart hammering in his chest as he heard the crowd applauding for him. He was never accepted, never loved, never appreciated. And now he has Kathrine at his side and a cheering crowd at his feet. Even if this performance will be the last one, even if he has to go back into hiding after tonight… he can bear it. Because she will be by his side from now on.

The moment the curtain is closed, Kat shrugs out of the dress and takes the wig off her head again. With a loud, happy sigh she shakes her head. The short hair barely moves but it becomes a little wilder through her movements. Erik watches her as she grins,

'' Freedom. '' He cannot deny that he likes this… outfit. It compliments her body nicely. Perhaps he will be able to paint her like this.

'' This is going to Facebook, smile! '' Erik's eyebrow raises as Kathrine abruptly leans against him, a grin on her lips. He blinks as Jessie holds a device up that looks similar to Kathrine's phone. For a few seconds Kathrine stays frozen in her position. As soon as he lowers the phone, she moves again. One after the other everyone is coming back to the stage while Jessie approaches them to show what he did. Erik's eyebrows fly up as soon as he sees himself and Kathrine in exactly the same pose they had only moments before. At his surprised look the two managers slowly come a bit closer. Firmin's eyes widen,

'' Is this some kind of… witchcraft? '' Suddenly Holly tosses Kat her phone which she easily catches. Jessie shakes his head,

'' Nope. It's science. ''

'' Could be considered the same, in a way. '' Holly objects. Kathrine nods, stands between the managers and takes another picture. The two men look rather confused what gives the image an amusing touch. She looks down at her phone,

'' How did it go? Show a caveman technology and he will think it is magic. Show a modern man magic and he will believe it is technology. ''

'' Is that why you left your… 'camera' behind? '' He suddenly realizes. Her guilty smile is enough of an answer. Before she can speak up though, Holly's voice rings through the room,

'' You filmed something!? '' A slight shade of red comes to her cheeks,

'' I uh… yeah. I was about to give you that anyway. You know… to cut it together and give it to my mom. I got my laptop with me so I can do the basic cutting but I might not be done with everything until the boat comes. '' Holly and Jessie look at each other and nod then, a serious expression on their faces. Of course Kathrine will not go back to England with them. At least that is what Erik is convinced of. She said she will stay with him and she just agreed to marry him after all. Of course she will not leave him then. Somebody has to inform her family.

'' Sure we can do that. '' The somewhat tensed, yet rather calm, atmosphere is interrupted again as a man runs up to Monsieur Firmin and Monsieur André,

'' Messieurs, there is a Captain. He wishes to speak to you. '' The managers exchange a glance before looking at Erik and Kathrine. André offers a smile at them both. Slightly nervous, but a smile nevertheless. Erik will take that as a sign to trust them for now. Firmin nods at the man,

'' Of course we will… talk to him. '' They quickly leave the stage without another word. Kathrine leans her shoulder on him, her arms crossed over her chest and concern clearly written over her face,

'' 's that okay to not go along? ''

'' It is smarter. '' She gives him a look, he looks back. She sighs in defeat and shrugs her shoulders. Then suddenly she grows still, her expression growing almost shocked, frozen.

'' Kathrine? ''

'' Holly? '' The woman in question comes closer at Kathrine's murmur,

'' Yeah? ''

'' Am I in a committed relationship? '' Holly and Erik look at each other, the others of her class make no move to step closer or interrupt but there is a knowing grin on their lips. Holly nods,

'' Yep. We got it all filmed. ''

'' Hold that please. '' Erik silently accepts the phone Kathrine suddenly holds out to him. The moment it left her hands, Kathrine drops to the ground unconscious. Erik winces at the impact and abruptly kneels down beside her. To his surprise Holly does not seem shocked in the slightest. Is this some kind of late-shock because of the performance? No. She was asking about the engagement. Softly Erik's fingers brush Kathrine's pale cheeks. Her breathing is steady. This is a shock state. Erik pushes the slight feeling of offense and the sudden doubt into the back of his mind and softly puts his arms under her knees and shoulders to lift her up bridal style. One of her arms dangles slightly at her side, her face in his chest.

'' So… I'm willing to do CPR. '' Erik's eyes narrow at the other young man in Kathrine's class, Josh. His girlfriend abruptly slaps his shoulder. He laughs at her, rubbing the aching spot. As they notice the Phantom's glare, their laughter abruptly dies down while Jessie slowly leans towards them,

'' She told him what that is…''

'' Fuck 'm sorry that was just a joke mate- uh… Mister Phantom. '' The younger man abruptly apologizes with wide eyes.

'' If anyone would have to do that it'd be Mister Williams anyway. '' He continues quickly after a second passed. As Erik's and Nathan's eyes meet, Erik's mood is everything but lightening up. Jessie slaps the other male hard. The Scholar sighs,

'' Shut up Josh. '' Another awkward round of silence goes through the room but this time it is not uncomfortable for the Phantom. His eyes slowly lower from Josh to Kathrine. A small sting of worry runs through him. Was she hurt? No, she is not bleeding, there are no new bruises. At least not visible to him. Could something be wrong with her organs? No no, now he's just growing silly.

'' She's fine, don't worry. '' Holly says as she suddenly walks up to them, a bottle with water in her hand. He did not notice her leaving the stage. The young woman splashes some water into Kathrine's face, abruptly causing her to wince. With a groan she wipes the water from her face,

''…Nadie me dio un beso, verdad…? Porque de mi prometido va a ir puto loco si alguien lo hizo…'' ( _Nobody kissed me right? Cause my_ _fiance's_ _gonna get fuckin' crazy if somebody did_ ) Erik's lips twist into a smirk. Kathrine's eyes slowly open and it does not take her long to realize what has happened.

'' Oh. Okay then. ''

'' You fainted like a little girl. '' Holly's voice is teasing and instantly calls a pout on Kathrine's lips,

'' I hate you. '' After patting his shoulder she makes a move to jump out of his arms so he quickly places her feet on the ground. Erik's hands stay on her shoulders, a silent gesture to support her in case she falls over again,

'' Are you well? ''

'' Not sure yet.'' They look up as their managers return, a Captain following. Erik's arm instantly wraps around her shoulders to hold her close. While neither André nor Firmin seem worried, he will not risk anything.

'' Monsieur, Mademoiselle, I wish to apologize for Bouchard's behavior. He will face the consequences of his actions the moment he will be released from the hospital. '' Erik nods, his voice smooth,

'' We appreciate the effort Monsieur. ''

'' I do not like it when my men act solely on revenge and pretend that it was I who sent them. No matter if they might have a point or not…'' The Captain eyes the Phantom closely. Kathrine tenses next to him but the police-man quickly changes the subject, his eyes showing slight worry,

'' What exactly did you do that made him… _twitch_ like this? ''

'' Kathrine used a taser on him as he threatened another attack. '' Kathrine smirks almost proudly,

'' Yes I did. ''

'' A ' _t_ _aser_ '? ''

'' Yeah like- huh where…'' She trails off as Erik suddenly offers the Captain the small taser. Kathrine's eyes widen, her mouth dropping open before she glares at him,

'' Puto landrón…'' (fucking thief) In all honesty, he did not quite trust her with something like that. Not now that he knows what it does. After all she already threatened to use it on him, and he will gladly do without that.

'' What does it do? '' The Captain is turning and inspecting the little box closely.

'' It's gonna shock _someone's_ ass as soon as I get it back. '' Kathrine mutters aggressively, her arms crossed over her chest. Erik glances at her,

'' You will not have it back. ''

'' What? But it's mine! ''

'' Good decision. '' Holly throws in. Kathrine's mouth drops open again,

'' Holly! ''

'' You used in on 7 people in 3 months. ''

'' They deserved it. ''

'' One was our teacher and you were a week in a cell. ''

'' She was a homophobic, racist asshole that bullied me. ''

'' It was her last day, she was fired anyway. I spent days trying to keep the principle from kicking you before your graduation. '' The scholar suddenly answers with a dry voice.

'' Oh she loves you, stop being whiny. ''

'' You are quite irresponsible at times. A weapon like that is not well-placed in your hands. '' Erik sighs. It was a good decision to take it from her after all. The Captain looks around the stage, taking in every single face closely,

'' I… will leave then. Please do keep a good eye on this 'taser' or I will have to confiscate it. Au revoir. '' Erik nods, the managers quietly wish their farewell. Before the silence has time to built up again, Erik's arm pulls back to take Kathrine's hand and pull her to the secret door in the middle of the stage. It was enough now. The trouble with the officer, the closeness to the other people on the stage. Right now all he wants is to take his lovely fiancee home and settle before the fire with her.

As happy as he is with her decision to accept his ring, he knows her by now too well to believe that she would actually marry him. There will be a lot they have to talk about.

Kathrine makes no move to stop him or free herself from his firm grip. He avoided grabbing her on her wrist. It is not that he wants to hurt her, he just wants to make sure she will follow him. As soon as they stand on the trap-door, Kathrine seems to realize what he is planning. She looks at him,

'' You gotta be kiddin' me. '' The door opens and they fall through it swiftly. Erik can hear some of the others gasping in shock but the door closes as soon as they passed it. Kathrine gives a high-pitched scream as she cling to him. He covered the ground with enough straw to keep their fall painless but Erik still puts himself under Kathrine and holds her close to make sure she comes down on top of him. His calculation was about right. Even with Kathrine's extra-weight he barely felt the impact with the ground. Some air is still knocked out of his lungs though. Kathrine glares at him as soon as she sat up, a piece of straw in her hair. He can feel her breathing heavily on top of him,

'' I hate you. '' He smiles and tenderly takes the straw out of her hair. His hand moves from her head to her cheek to pull her into a kiss. His other hand grasps her left hand, his fingers brushing over the ring,

'' You will stay with me. '' He whispers against her lips as soon as he pulls back. He can feel the smile on her lips as she nods softly,

'' Yeah. But… We need to talk. You know that, right? '' He nods,

'' I thought we could settle by the fire with a glass of wine. I had Madam bring some candy to me. '' She smirks,

'' Now you're _really_ flirting with me. ''

\- A/N -

Prepare for the last two chapters because they will be LONG. Especially the last one


	20. Chapter 19 - Say You'll Love Me

**Chapter 19 – Say You'll Love Me**

* * *

'' I…''

'' You do not wish to be married. It would feel too much like a cage for you out of which you cannot escape as easily as you might need to at some point. But you accept the engagement and you are ready to _be_ engaged to me. You _will_ stay with me. '' Kat's eyes widen slightly at his quick, reasonable way to explain what he thinks is right. She was convinced it would take much more time to tell him everything, to make him understand. Now it turns out that he knows her better than she originally thought. More than she'd have given him credit for.

A small knot in Kat's stomach that she wasn't aware of suddenly loosens and her shoulders relax automatically. If Erik understands, perhaps they really have a chance to make this work. It won't be easy, they'll face more problems at some point. Erik's murders are aware to the Captain, so there's that. But no matter what comes next, they have an actual chance to fight through this. They can understand each other, help each other. And once they are completely comfortable around each other they'll be able to take everything that may or may not come.

She'll learn to tell him how much she loves him without being pissed or high and she'll not feel anything negative while that. Kat will learn to live in a domestic relationship, no more affairs, no more single-ladies jobs.

And Erik will learn to control his temper, to trust her. To feel so comfortable around her that he'll not fear she might be disgusted by his face, or the scars on his body. He'll realize how much she loves him exactly the way he is and he'll accept it.

Kat's grip on her glass tightens barely visible. Those are the ideal things that might happen. Of course it could end very differently too, but right now she pushes those thoughts away and focuses on the man across her. Erik is at the end of the couch, his arm on the armrest. His body is facing her slightly, a silent gesture to show her that he's giving her his full attention. No matter how he sits, he always manages to look like a spoiled prince. That man is full with anxiety but the arrogance sure slips through many times and Kat absolutely loves it.

Her own posture is much less majestic. Her arm is on the backrest, her legs are crossed on the couch and her head is resting on her hand. She's facing him all the way, well aware of Erik's reaction. She didn't bother to chance, her training cloths are very comfortable and they're revealing her curves and some skin nicely which sure captures Erik's attention. Kat can see his eyes moving along her body every now and then before they politely stop at her eyes again.

But Erik is not the only one enjoying the sight. Because her Master stripped himself down to his white undershirt that reveals deliciously much cleavage and his black pants. He rolled up his sleeves to his elbows and the sudden idea for Erik to get a tattoo at his lower arm goes through her mind. It'd suit him very well.

Erik's body is relaxed, all of that tense of the past days finally seems to ease bit by bit. This is actually the first time Kat sees Erik this content with himself and his surroundings. Usually there's always that twitching in the fingers whenever he took of his mask and wig. Not so now. It's a pleasant change that Kat really wishes to see more often from now on. Now that the Inspector is taken care of and the Captain appears to lay low for at least a little while they can enjoy each other's company without having to worry for any upcoming trouble. Perhaps Kat's back will stop aching then. She was so bloody tensed ever since that fucker got to her in the woods but as soon as she realized that there's only 5 men with him, her senses kicked back in. It was a bluff but in the end it worked and nobody got killed or locket away. There's a small pull in her stomach every time she remembers the Captain though. This probably wasn't the last time they have to deal with police, if it's because of Erik or of herself. But right now that doesn't matter.

'' Yeah… I didn't think you would understand. ''

'' I needed some time to grasp your way of thinking. I am familiar with fear but… I think we go into different directions with that. Still, it helped me understand your point of view. My first reaction to this thought, to be honest, was betrayal. '' Kat quickly bites her lip, a nervous tick. He holds his hand up, silently asking her to let him finish,

'' But this will not continue. I allowed my anger on the world to come between us too many times. I will try to be more patient, to stay in control of my physical and my emotional self. I cannot promise I will fully master it in near future... but I need you to know that I will try. I will not try to push you into a marriage, not again. I… will, however, keep the dress. If that would be agreeable? '' She smiles as he looks up at her with a slight glimmer of hope,

'' Of course. You put a lot of work into it. Just because I'm twisted doesn't mean you have to burn it. It's… beautiful. Maybe I'll wear it. Just… not as a wedding dress. ''

'' I would love that. It will be… a present to you to our engagement then. Made solely for our eyes. ''

'' Sounds good to me. '' Erik's eyes move to his wine, his fingers playing with glass in something similar to nervousness. With her head titled slightly, Kat waits for him to speak up. Eventually his eyes move back to hers,

'' Will you spend the night down here? ''

'' I'll need all night to cut the recordings. I don't want to keep you up. ''

'' If you will have me, I will gladly just sit next to you and watch you. '' She smirks as she takes another sip of the wonderful wine,

'' Stalker. ''

'' I was not- '' She shakes her head and scoots closer to him, her side leaning against his so that his arm soon drapes around her shoulder. For now he's still comfortable with touching her this much but Kat fears that this won't hold long. The rush of adrenaline, her promise to stay with him and her reassuring words are enough to keep his fears at bay. But they won't be tamed like this for long. They both need to work a few things out, but opposite to Erik, Kat actually has professional help with that. Would a psychiatrist even help him? Of course, Erik would willingly have to do this for it to make any progress so she'd have to ask him on a good day. It wouldn't work if he feels forced into it or tensed about it. She'll just mention this idea to him at first and test his reaction, after that she can decide what to do next.

'' I know. It's fine don't worry, I like you next to me. '' He hums softly, his lips pressing a tender kiss to the crown of her head. She smiles,

'' After cutting everything I maybe get to catch one or two hours of sleep. The boat comes around 8pm. So after I get up I spend the day with the others, kick their asses a last time and maybe bring them to the boat before coming back. Then I'm all yours. '' Erik's chest vibrates as he chuckles,

'' I particularly like that last part. ''

'' I bet you do. ''

'' As long as you stay with me tonight and return to me as soon as they are gone, I will survive that day without you. '' Kat nudges his side playfully as she stands up and gulps down the rest of the wine.

'' I'll just go tell Holly and the others about my plan. 's not gonna take long. '' While Erik is clearly not pleased with her sudden departure, he makes no move to stop her or give any comment. He only nods his head in acceptance. Kat walks around the couch to make her way to the door but stops right in front of it. There's an idea running through her mind, a sudden urge that she can't and won't resist. Quickly Kat goes back to the couch and places her hands on Erik's shoulders from behind him. He looks up as she leans over him,

'' Hey remember what I said about the kind of _thank you_ a sweetheart gets? '' Without giving him the time to answer her, she kisses him. Not for long, only a few seconds. When she breaks the kiss the sweet part in her smile disappeared,

'' This is the kind of 'bye' a fiance gets. '' His eyes slowly open at her. There's that look again, the same look he had as they were dancing. It's so easy for Kat to get him into this state and she loves that. Because the way his eyes darken with lust make everything inside of her tingle.

Suddenly his fingers tangle in her hair to pull her back down to him. Briefly breaking the kiss, Kat slides over the backrest back onto the couch to allow them easier access to each other. The hand in her hair moves to cup her cheek, his thump caresses her skin. His other hand is on her waist, his palm softly rubbing over her exposed skin as if he's testing the feeling. Kat's arms wrap around his neck as she straddles his lap and his body swiftly moves with her to never allow the kiss to break. There's that pleasant heat filling her body that causes her heart beat so quick Erik might be able to hear it if he tried. Except that this feeling is different and it's so much better than any rush she ever had.

With a naughty smirk against his lips she pushes down on him, earning a barely muffled groan that sends shivers down her back. She can feel him growing more and more excited against her lap. His hands move messily up and down her body, grabbing and fondling her skin with so much enthusiasm that she briefly wonders how long he wanted to do this already. When was the first time he felt attracted to her? Was it already in the chapel or didn't he feel sexually attracted to her until he took her down into his layer? The question burns on her tongue, but she fears that talking may ruin the mood right now. And the quite large bulge in his pants that's constantly pushing into her lap is very distracting so that talking soon vanishes from her mind- including most other reasonable thoughts.

Kat gently nibbles on his bottom lip,

'' _Open your mouth_...'' Erik abruptly obeys and allows her to slowly slip her tongue into his mouth with another groan of pressure. At first his tongue moves shyly against hers, similar to their kiss in her room. This time though she doesn't need to say anything because his tongue soon moves more urgently against hers and bloody hell, her knickers are so _damp_.

Kat slowly begins to rock against him, desperately trying to move things forwards because the heat is driving her crazy.

Erik wraps one arm around her waist to pull her flush against him while the other grabs her hip. He's helping her rock against him more firmly. Kat drags her nails across his shoulders and feels him shudder against her, moan into her mouth.

Kat then finally breaks the kiss and allows her tongue to slowly run across his deformed cheek. His answer to this is a violent shudder and a long moan right next to her ear. Kat grits her teeth as she whimpers before turning her head slightly to nibble on the deformed ear. Erik's moaning turns into a darker growl and Kat just has to look into his eyes. His jaw is tensed, his pupils blown and his eyes hooded. He looks darker than he does in his Phantom-costume and so much more dominant. His eyes follow her tongue as she licks over her lips slowly- admittedly a little teasing,

'' I think Holly can wait a little longer…''

* * *

'' The right moment! He said it wasn't the right _bloody_ moment! What's he waiting for?! New moon?! Mating cycle?! Heat?! He's got enough of the last! '' Kat stomps through the room, her cheeks red from anger and her voice loud enough for everyone close by to hear. Mister Firmin and Mister André already seemed very uncomfortable with the situation before, if they hear her yelling about her sexual frustration with the man they feared for decades they'll never again dare to look any of them in the eye. Not that they really tried to make any eye contact with Erik before but still.

Holly crosses her arms over her chest, her hip resting on the open dresser,

'' Kat calm down. '' Kat abruptly stops and turns her head to glare at Holly,

'' I am calm! ''

'' I'm going to hit you if you keep yelling at me. '' With a frustrated sigh Kat falls back into the chair she plopped down on as she entered the room. She managed to sit for about 2 seconds before she started cursing in Spanish and English.

Jessie and Meg laugh loudly what earns them a nasty glare from Kat before she throws her legs over one armrest and leans then against the other, her head simply falling back with her eyes closed. Holly shakes her head,

'' He's emotionally unstable, give him some time to adjust to all of this. ''

'' Well he's stable enough to dry-hump and shove his tongue down my- ''

'' Kat there's a junior in the room. '' Jessie points out with mocking blame, but the quickly following laughter that breaks free as soon as Kat opens one eye at him darkly soon leads to Kat throwing a pillow at him. The same moment the pillow hits Jessie right in the face, the door opens and the other 4 graduates come in, a smirk on each their faces,

'' We heard there's unresolved sexual tension? '' Josh asks cheerfully before closing the door behind them. Kat sinks back into her spot, groaning,

'' Right I wanted to get to you too. I was just… distracted. ''

'' So we heard. '' Emily giggles as they all take a seat. Fiona shrugs,

'' Actually I'm pretty sure _everyone_ in France could hear. '' Holly groans,

'' Wonderful Kat. That's how you start your singing career. With a relationship with the Opera Ghost and a Sex-Scandal. '' Jessie holds his thump up as Kat looks at him. Meg by now is laughing so hard that she has to hold on to Jessie's arm to keep herself from falling off the bed. There's a snort coming from the woman in the chair,

'' What _bloody_ sex-scandal? I didn't notice I'm having any sex! ''

'' Maybe that's somethin' good. Who knows, he could be…'' Josh wiggles his finger with faked worry. Kat snorts,

'' And here I was thinking its you guys who first came up with the sentence _size doesn't matter_. ''

'' I'm just sayin'. ''

'' Nah… from what I can tell there's really nothing imperfect on that bloke. ''

'' Oh she's in _that_ phase of the relationship, that's cute. '' Fiona giggles, leaning against Josh.

'' I'd be in _that_ phase all my life if my boyfriend would look like that. '' Andrea throws in, stuffing some candy into her mouth. Emily nods in agree,

'' I _completely_ understand Kat's frustration. The mask's a little creepy and he has kind of strange features sometimes… but he's definitively hot. Like, he's _really_ well-built. And his eyes, man those are amazing. '' Kat leans over to the girl to shake her hand,

'' Thank you! '' Holly groans.

'' Don't confirm her tick. '' Andrea titles her head with a smirk,

'' Holly the guy has the body of a god and the voice of sex, you can't say you wouldn't be frustrated. ''

'' I'm not saying I wouldn't be. I'm just saying she should have more patience. ''

'' It's not like I'd force him into Sex or anything. I'm willing to wait until he's ready for that. I'm just- '' The door opens again and Mister Williams comes in but that doesn't stop Kat from continuing her sentence,

'' I'm so beyond under-fucked, I haven't been this frustrated since I was a virgin! ''

'' I knew it was a bad idea to come in here. '' Mister Williams mutters to himself but puts the 2 packs of beer in the middle of the room. Jessie pats his shoulder in a sympathetic way before scooting closer to Meg to allow the older male to sit down next to them. The graduates soon each take a beer before settling down comfortably.

'' Maybe you become a virgin again. '' Fiona says then, grinning slightly into her bottle and earning a very dry look from Kat,

'' Ha-fucking-ha. ''

'' Kat you can't expect someone from this world to treat sex like we do. ''

'' I know that. I just need to complain for five more minutes, okay? What he's doing is teasing on the highest bloody line. This is really scratching on my ego. -Damn… I'm still fuckable right? This whole feelings-shit didn't make me, I dunno… unattractive? '' The others break out into uncontrolled laughter as Nathan gives her a sober but slightly amused look,

'' Are you expecting an answer to this. ''

'' That's why I'm asking! ''

'' Emotions don't make you less attractive. ''

'' They do, however, change a person's way of being which then changes the way others look at them. A completely anxious person can seem like the most confident bitch on the world just by controlling their aura. ''

'' Listen to a psycho telling others about psychology. '' Jessie mutters, nudging Meg with his shoulder. The younger girl giggles at the statement. Holly tries her best to feel frustrated about the way everyone's supporting Kat in her childish impatience. But she just can't keep a straight face. So instead she listens to Kat and Mister Williams arguing. The latter is the first one to grab a second beer quickly and end the discussion. Kat declares herself the winner and drinks her beer in one go before going for the next one. Everyone's laughing and enjoying themselves and somehow it makes Holly sad. Because this will be the last time they spend time together. School's over, everyone will take another path and soon they'll loose touch. Kat surely will visit not long after they left but if she stays here for the rest of her life, visiting each other and staying in contact will be hard.

'' Hey guys, know what? This is the last time we're really talking like that. '' The happy atmosphere abruptly drops and everyone becomes silent. Josh wraps his arm tighter around Fiona's waist as she snuggles closer to him. Andrea and Emily take the other's hand while Mister Williams crosses his arms over his chest. Kat doesn't move in her chair but Holly sees the slightly melancholic shadow over her eyes and right now she's pretty sure that this shadow is not the fear of extreme change that could upset her somewhat ordered life. Holly sees Meg looking around in the room quietly, a sympathetic sadness in her eyes. She's gonna miss the little Giry too. While they didn't spend a lot of time with her, the younger girl did kind of grow to her. Jessie raises his bottle after another moment,

'' Way to go Hols, that's one way to ruin the mood. ''

'' She's right though. We were so busy with all of… _this_ … that we completely forgot why we came here in the first place. To spend some time with each other for the last time. '' Emily mumbles as she leans against her best friend. Andrea shrugs,

'' It's not like we won't _ever_ see each other again. '' Her voice is a little rough.

'' Yeah, if Kat's the new Diva we can come over for big events! You better make us a real nice discount! The shit here's expensive! '' Kat smirks at Josh's comment,

'' If you ask really nicely I might consider it. ''

'' You mean bitch. '' Emily gives both of them a scolding look before quickly changing back to topic,

'' And we can hold reunions. Or anything else, really. ''

'' I'm still gonna miss you guys. We know each other for so long… It's kinda hard to imagine that I won't be seeing you each morning any longer. ''

'' I have to admit… I understand how you feel. It became a somewhat normal-day-routine to see you each morning. The thought to have a new class and not see you again is… strange. '' Mister Williams admits.

'' So we did grow to you after all! ''

'' Course we did. Bloke's drinkin' with us. ''

'' Call me _Bloke_ again, Jessie, and I mark you as a cheater and your graduation is gone. ''

'' You need some ice for that burn Jessie? ''

'' Shut up Josh. ''

'' Nah don't worry, we gonna miss ya too Mistah W. ''

'' I'm gonna puke rainbows. '' Kat's grumpy comment is met with many eye-rolls and grins.

'' We'll miss you too, you lil' Grumpy Cat. '' Holly spots the faintest smile turning up Kat's lips before she suddenly jumps out of her chair,

'' As much as I hate to, I gotta go. At 10 tomorrow I'll be back here and you better be up and dressed. I'll cut everything I recorded and take a nap so I can spend all my energy on chewing you out before kicking you on that bloody boat. ''

'' How nice of you. ''

'' Nice? I wanna make sure you fuckers finally get outa my bloody neck. If I'm not getting laid soon I'll go fucking homicidal. '' She shoves Mister Williams playfully as she passes him. In the door she makes a dramatic bow and leaves then.

'' She got the horny-Diva in her blood. ''

'' No shit man…''

'' Damn… If that wasn't the trip of a lifetime? ''

'' Yeah. The others are gonna bite their asses when we tell them what they missed! ''

'' What do you think will be on the recordings? ''

'' Well I guess the stuff we recorded, for one. But the rest? No idea. ''

'' D'ya think we can catch a quick glance at it? ''

Holly reamins quiet as they argue about whether it's right or not to try to take a look at everything. The way Holly knows Kat she's probably going to make two DVD's. One for her secret collection and one for her parents to see. Holly will keep the private DVD a secret and hand the other one over. If Kat and Erik cut everything together they will settle on what they want others to see and what not. And yet Holly would love to take a look at the DVD for Kat's collection.

* * *

'' Honey, I'm home! '' Erik almost flinches from Kathrine's loud, high-pitched call behind him. When he turns away from his organ he finds Kathrine in front of the bedroom, her arms in the air and a grin on her lips. Amused at his little hurricane's energy he smiles.

After he turned down her attempt to take their relationship to the next step she was clearly frustrated. She left quickly without much of a farewell and stayed away for quite some time. Much more time than she would have needed to talk to her friends. After the second hour passed and Kathrine did not return, Erik was convinced she would not be coming back for the night. He did his best to keep the dark thoughts as far away from his mind as he could, but he still felt highly uncomfortable. To have her back now after all and obviously happy casts those thoughts away from him within a heartbeat. Kathrine giggles,

'' Tha' was actually kinda fun. '' A soft laughter rumbles from his chest as he rises to his feet, taking a few steps towards her but keeping a respectful distance between them. Their previous actions certainly still stick to his skin.

'' I am glad you are back. '' Kathrine titles her head to the side and closes then the distance to him to press a gentle kiss to his lips. When she pulls back, she's smiling sweetly. Erik licks his lips,

'' Have you been drinking? ''

'' Yeah. Just a two or three beer with my class. So… wanna cut some videos? '' For the first time Erik notices the thin bag around Kathrine's shoulder. It is slim but has the size of a medium sized canvas. The bag seems to be made of a soft but at the same time firm material that is capable to protect whatever is inside of it. He nods wordlessly and follows her into the bedroom but halts abruptly as he watches her climb into the bed. After a few seconds he then follows and takes his seat next to her. Kathrine is obviously not at all interested in the bit of space he left between them because she abruptly leans her back against his side to snuggle into him, the bag on her lap. Erik quickly gives in and wraps his arm around her shoulder.

The bag opens with a rather loud, crackling noise that is completely strange for Erik. Inside is a slim, shiny box which Kathrine opens with the help of a button at the front. That is when she says a loud _oh_ and turns to Erik,

'' Right, you don't know that stuff. That's a laptop. It works on battery, like my phone, but it's got a lot more storage and it's bigger. We got the screen here but opposite to my phone it got no touch. Means you have to use the keyboard. People use laptops for all kinds of stuff. You can store music on it or movies. You can play games, work, paint, construct stuff… I'm gonna explain the internet later. Right now… here press that button. '' Her finger brushes a button on the upper side of the lower half. The button shows a circle with a line interrupting it. Erik carefully presses the button and watches curiously how the device comes to life. At first the button shows a small light, then more lights on the right side next to the keyboard begin to blink and a strange noise reaches his ears.

'' That's the ventilation-system. Keeps it from overheating. '' The noise soon dies down but the screen shows more and more with each second. Kathrine gives a brief explanation to each function. With a wire she connects the phone to the laptop and soon a 'window' opens. It is… interesting to watch these strange things develop right in front of him.

* * *

He cannot deny that he feels extremely uncomfortable many times during this process. This camera managed to capture much more than he imagined and while he _is_ impressed by the item itself, he does not enjoy the things it captured so precisely. Kathrine had him walking around without his mask so often that the camera had enough chances to film him- more than once. Kathrine deletes a lot of unnecessary parts where the camera just filmed the empty layer or where nothing interesting happened. She also deleted what Erik wanted gone. Kathrine explained that her family will only see very little of what she filmed, that most of it is for them. A reminder. While he still did not feel as comfortable about this as he wants to, he knows that it will be in safe hands with Kathrine. And he trusts Kathrine when she tells him that Holly will not look at the DVD. He only knows her for a little while but Erik is convinced that Holly is capable to handle this responsibility.

The DVD her family, and probably her class, will see holds what the graduates filmed themselves, together with a few parts of what happened between them while she was with him. And even though Erik clearly saw her discomfort, Kathrine decided to also publish the recording of her panic attack after he first urged her to continue her career.

'' You are clearly uncomfortable with the thought that people see this. '' Erik states. Kathrine's expression becomes bitter but she shrugs it off without explaining her decision to him. He will ask her for the reason again. But not tonight.

Another thing they both decided to leave on the DVD was their fight. They discussed the matter for a long while, laid out every pros and cons to the situation. But in the end they came to the result that it might be for the best that, should anyone mention this fight, her mother sees the true reason behind it. It might not calm anyone, but at least she will not have to rely on any possible lie or overreaction. What they didn't leave on the disc, though, was the… incident with the Scholar.

* * *

'' How very curios. I did not know that they have been following us this actively. I noticed two of them running from the Chapel once, moments after I ended our lesson, but I was not aware of this. '' Erik mutters. Before them plays the recording someone filmed of their escalation at the cemetery. Neither Kathrine nor Erik were aware of the fact that they even managed to follow them there. Kathrine offers a smirk but Erik sees the confusion in her eyes,

'' What, the big bad Phantom didn't know bout something goin' on in his Opera? How disturbing. ''

'' I was obviously underestimating your class' capabilities and their… curiosity. '' She shakes her head and sinks even more into his side, a small chuckle leaving her lips,

'' How the hell did they do that! Like… I was pretty sure there wasn't anyone following. On the other hand, they came only moments before you made your appearance. Maybe they followed you. '' He clears his throat, a slight feeling of embarrassment now coming up in him,

'' Unlikely.''

'' Why? '' Erik feels like a child who was caught stealing candy,

'' Because it was I who brought you and your friend to the cemetery. '' Kathrine's mouth instantly drops wide open while she turns to stare at him,

'' No way! You bloody stalker! ''

'' If it offers any help: The man was not hurt…'' She rises an eyebrow at him and he smiles guiltily,

''… badly. ''

* * *

'' I still fail to understand why you go through all the trouble of making this DVD. You are planning to explain everything to your mother in person soon, are you not? '' Kat rubs over her face, the laptop by now put aside. They needed almost 4 hours but they're done now. She will only record a small video of herself now and then she'll catch some sleep. Erik is standing next to the bed, ready to leave after stretching his muscles. Kat would be lying if she would say that she didn't look. He's not especially built like hulk but his abs could get her drooling. She'll definitely give him one hour per day for each one of them. Every day.

'' Honestly, I'm just making this second DVD so that no one finds out about the first one. Since you mentioned my camera I can't keep it a secret any longer. ''

'' My apologies. '' She shrugs,

'' No problem. I just don't want people to find out about my collection, so I give them the cut material and secretly hand the private stuff to Holly. She's the only one that knows about those DVDs. ''

'' And what purpose does this collection have? I understand that you like to have a reminder of certain things but… this seems a little odd to me. '' Kat crosses her legs and stares down at her hands in her lap. She's fidgeting nervously,

'' In my Episodes I… Sometimes I don't recognize myself. It's not like I completely forget who I am, I just… I look into the mirror and become frightened because there's some stranger starring back at me and doing the exact same things I do. I don't recognize other people too, sometimes. And after my Episode ends I suddenly don't remember some things. I know the thing itself happened I just… can't call it up in pictures. It's like having a headline to an empty paper. And at some point I just got sick of forgetting so I always have a camera and stuff with me. And _this_ , everything that happened here… those are one of my most precious memories. I don't want to forget this. I'm actually really glad they filmed so much. '' She almost flinches as he suddenly sits down next to her and puts a comforting hand on her shoulder,

'' I will not ask of you to delete anything Kathrine. ''

'' Thank you…'' With a nod he rises to his feet again and walks to the 'door',

'' I will give you some privacy. ''

'' You could stay? ''

'' I think… it would be best if I am not on this _video_. '' Kathrine makes a move to object but decides against it and allows him to leave. Seeing himself without his mask this much and once more being confronted withb what happened as Nathan came to her 'rescue' put him down more than he likes to admit right now.

* * *

The last hour Erik spent trying to write down their song exactly the way they sang it but he could not bring himself to focus. Can he still be the Phantom after everything that has happened tonight? Now that everyone knows him to be a man instead of a ghost. The reason he had this much influence on this Opera was that everyone believed him to be some sort of supernatural being they had no power over. Now he is mortal, weak, exposed. No one will follow his orders as long as they know there might be a chance to end his rule.

And his home? Will he have to leave it now? As much as these dungeons always have been a prison to him, they gave him shelter and protected him from other people. It might not be a castle but after many months of work he managed to built himself a cozy home in these caves. And Kathrine loves it. Now that she chose to stay by his side he will have to consult her about this. Due to the salary he received each month he could save a lot of money. Perhaps he will let Kathrine pick a place for them to live. That way she will be able to pick what she likes the most and he won't have to bring too much attention to himself.

The thought to leave his whole life behind like that tastes bitter on Erik's tongue. But he can't take the risk of others finding this place in the attempt to hunt him down, not now that Kathrine could be hurt in the process.

'' I can't do this. '' He almost flinches as Kathrine's voice rings out behind him suddenly and rips him out of his thoughts. His eye barely flinches as she hops onto his organ and crosses one leg over the other, he's rather used to it by now even if that really does not make this any better. The fact that she appears to feel distressed soon has his attention moving to the woman across him,

'' What do you mean? ''

'' I recorded 5 videos and deleted them right away. I can't do this. What am I even supposed to say? She's getting a movie that pretty much explains it. What else is there to add? ''

'' You mentioned that your intention behind this last video was to put what she will see in your own words and give her a final message that is a little more private. ''

''…Holly could do that...'' Erik's eyes narrow slightly in confuse, his angel appears to be trembling. Barely visible, granted, but it is there.

'' Kathrine… are you afraid of something? '' Her teeth pull on the ring in her lip while she shrugs,

'' Making this video is so final. I'm a family person. Even though I moved out I still visited my mom a couple of times the week and making this video… I won't be able to just stop by real quick. I can't even call if something's the matter. Somebody gets into an accident and I wouldn't be able to find out. If I want to see my mom or my abuela or my gramps or my friends, I will have to order a boat and wait for the boat and travel there first. Then I need another bus or a car from the port and that'll take time. They don't send out boats to my world every 15 minutes. Sure I can send letters but those will need _weeks_ to arrive. What if something really really bad happens and I find out about it too late? I really want to stay with you, here. I just don't want to lose my family. '' Erik feels his heart aching as he sees tears in her eyes. He should have seen this coming, Kathrine always spoke very lovingly of her family. Of course staying in his world doesn't only mean she's leaving England, it means she's leaving her family. Until now there was so much on his mind that he never thought about the consequences this has for her. Erik stands up so that he can cup her cheeks,

'' You will not loose your family Kathrine, I will not let that happen. Whenever you wish to return to them I will order a boat myself to help you go there as quick as possible. You will need longer to reach them- ''

'' 8 hours. I need 8 hours to my mom. From my flat it was 15 minutes. '' Her voice is bitter and he sighs.

'' In the end… it is your decision to make. I will no longer try to hold you as my prisoner. If you rather wish to return with your friends, I cannot hold you. ''

'' No… No I won't go back with them. It's just… really hard for me to imagine that I won't be able to have breakfast with my family anymore at Sunday mornings. Sometimes when I worked through the night I brought them breakfast and slept then in my old room. ''

'' You will still be able to do this. Living here with me won't mean you cannot live in your world as well. '' Kathrine bites her lip again, her voice careful,

'' We could go to England from time to time? Change of wallpapers? '' His eyes narrow slightly as he suddenly imagines that one morning a past lover of Kathrine stands in the door. The thought of meeting someone she spent a bed with once is leaving a bitter taste on his tongue. He hasn't giving the subject another thought yet but right now he remembers that her friends mentioned her quite active nightly-life as well. Erik honestly couldn't tell what he might do if they encounter a previous lover that voices his remaining interest in Kathrine, if he'd touch her.

'' What's wrong? '' Kathrine's voice brings him out of his thoughts and he shakes his head,

'' Nothing, merely a thought. ''

'' Tell me. '' Her voice is firm, urging him to tell her the reason behind his behavior.

'' I was… wondering what it'd be like to meet someone you...'' He trails off but she is quick to pick up on what he meant,

'' Spent a night with? If you want me to tell you with how many people I've had sex, I will. But are _you_ sure you wanna know that? '' It really might be for the best to answer with a no to that. Kathrine clearly doesn't feel any ashamed of the subject and she has never been anything else than shameless as soon as it comes to intimacy. Certainly she will have had more than one partner, but does he really want to know how many? Would it even matter? In the end that is none of his concerns. She chose him, chose to spend her live with him, not with anybody else. Then again, if he knows he might be able to say how likely it really is that they meet someone of her past. It might put his mind at ease. On the other hand there are several million people living in England, how likely would it be to meet a handful of people?

'' Yes. '' Erik freezes as he hears his mouth talking before his mind finished weighing out the good and bad sides knowing has.

* * *

Kat raises an eyebrow, she wasn't expecting him to actually answer with a yes. There's a little part of her that's feeling a bit nervous right now. She's not ashamed of herself, or of the lots of sex she has had before. But at the same time Erik is a guy from the 18th century who, every time he saw a sign saying 'human interaction' pointing right, turned around and jumped off the next cliff. Until now the only thing he was disapproving of was her illegal fighting- and her friendship to Nathan, but that honestly is another thing. The chance he's feeling disgusted is as high as the chance that he's taking it alright.

'' I had sex for the first time a little while after I've gotten 18, so almost 3 years ago, and I've been with 32 men and 41 women- give or take some more people that fit into neither category. ''

'' _Women_? '' She grins slightly at the surprise and slight shock in his voice,

'' I like people regardless of their gender… It's not that I just can't decide if I am gay or straight, I just really find every gender attractive. '' He nods briefly before turning really quiet then. After a moment he suddenly lowers his eyes to her throat and his expression becomes blank save for a little bit of repulsion in his eyes. Kat's lips part in surprise the same moment there's a knot twisting in her stomach. Her chances were 50/50 but she wasn't expecting him to actually pick the evil twin. As much as she'd love to say something she decides to give him a few moments to sort this out with himself. It might just be a bit much for him right now, after all people don't whore around in this world without getting stoned to death for it.

'' Do you want me to go? '' As soon as she asks, his eyes slowly meet hers again,

'' Why would you ask me that? ''

'' Give you some space. I've ruined my body in all kinds of ways in my life. Drugs, fighting, toxic impulses that constantly have me reacting before I think which often brought me into unhealthy situations. I got scars on my body _and_ my soul. But the sex didn't ruin me. It was safe and it was fun. I know there's many people who think it's nasty but I don't really care about them. '' Kat pauses then to make sure she still has him following. He's still not really giving her much of an expression so there's no telling whether she should just get out and give him that space or not. She shrugs as continues,

'' I changed my jobs like I changed my partners, there were only few that really left an impression on me and none I kept for a long time. The fighting was what payed my bills most of the time and I like it. The other stuff was just something to keep me busy, to keep me away from myself I think. I worked in a Strip Club, but only for 3 weekends. I was an Escort for a summer too and if I hadn't met you… this might have been the job I would keep. At least for a while. ''

'' But you won't? '' Kat abruptly shakes her head,

'' No, I won't. ''

'' What if someone would be willing to make you a generous offer? If you encounter someone who offers you a lot of money for… _a night._ Would you accept? ''

'' No. I didn't do it for the money. I mean sure, it was good money but not the motivation behind it. It was just doing the same thing I did anyways and getting paid for it. But I have _you_ now. And if I do this domestic relationship, I'm doing it right. Actually- '' Kat breaks off as she realizes that now might be a bad time to tell him that. But Erik's head cocks to the side, clearly interested in what she was going to say,

'' Yes? ''

'' I don't think I even _want_ to have sex with anyone else anymore. ''

'' But you…'' Erik makes a vague gesture with his hand that makes her laugh,

'' I _really_ want to have sex with you, yes. ''

'' What if you grow tired of me? Will you not just go and find another partner? ''

'' I was raised with the attitude that you _fix_ something if it's damaged instead of just throwing it away. '' He seems somewhat released by her words.

'' I admit the thought that you laid with other men angers me and I am not positively surprised by how many it were...'' He pauses and takes her hands,

'' But nothing of this will ever be a reason for me to love you any less. What matters to me in the end… is that you are mine, now and for the rest of my life. ''

* * *

He has briefly heard most of her past before but the details gives all of this another light. He cannot deny that the thought of how many people already touched Kathrine in ways he only yet imagined outrages him, but not because of the fact that they _had_ her. It angers him because he will never be able to do what _they_ did. These men bought her a drink and Kathrine was willing to go home with them. It must have been so easy for these people. These people with their normal lives and their handsome faces. Because Erik knows Kathrine would most likely not spend a night with someone unattractive. So why is she willing to sink down to his level? This beautiful, experienced temptress that could have whoever she wanted, and yet she chose to settle down with him.

Erik feels his body tensing. Those men… They could have her with such ease simply because they are not cursed. They do not need to worry about the possibility to ruin her. Kathrine has great opportunities for a promising career and this relationship to him could destroy everything. He does not deserve her in such a way.

The feeling that was rushing through his entire body as Kathrine straddled his lap was dangerously intoxicating. The friction she caused between them by rocking her hips against his was addictive. He aches to be back in that moment, experience it time and time again. But he knows he would have to reject her again. Because no matter what she tells him, he is not worthy of her. Not in this way. There is a clear difference between Kathrine sleeping with handsome young men and her doing anything just close to that with the old deformed beast he is.

And yet Kathrine nods eagerly and slides off the organ to stand right before him, their chests touching. Her dark brown eyes staring right into his rotten soul,

'' I am. I swear I am. '' His hands move to cup her cheek. She is so beautiful.

'' Why would I worry for anything that has happened in your past then? God knows… my own past is not made out of with flowers. You were directly confronted with what I am and yet you stay with me. I love you Kathrine, nothing will change that. '' She smiles softly. With only the faintest touch of hesitation he leans in to kiss her. He will never get used to how good her lips feel against his. Every time they kiss he feels like pinching himself just to make sure he is not dreaming. If only it could stay like this forever…

* * *

Kathrine went back to her laptop soon after, to try once again to record a video for her mother. Erik thought a moment about trying to hear what she is saying but decided against doing so. This whole concept of videos and pictures is fascinating and confusing at the same time. Kathrine told him she will explain everything to him when they have the time and he is quite excited about it. While he'd rather not have any of that technology in his world, he'd eagerly learn whatever he can about it.

When his little hurricane returns she seems exhausted but satisfied. He watches with an inner sigh how she once more takes her seat on his beloved organ, it seems that she grew quite fond of the spot. If only he could dare to forbid this place to her. His precious organ is not a chair, but she is so very comfortable, how could he try to deny her this?

'' Erik? ''

'' Yes my love? ''

'' Come to England with me. '' His movements halt a moment. Kathrine's expression holds no humor, but surely she must be joking? Slowly Erik shakes his head, his voice soft,

'' Kathrine- ''

'' I wanted you to come with me from the beginning on. I thought you know that but every time we talked about me going back you said 'you' and not 'we'. You said that you were never really part of one world… but now you are. You're part of my world and of yours. ''

'' I hardly doubt that…''

'' People were hysterical about your Opera and especially about the ending. They were cheering 10 minutes after the curtains fell, remember? I'm sure Monsieur Firmin and Monsieur André will soon try to contact you again. You could write more Operas. I know you have dozens of songs lying around, unfinished plays, stories. You could do this professionally. Lead the Opera other than giving instructions. '' He smiles faintly at her but shakes his head,

'' Nobody would accept any of my work. '' She shrugs almost carelessly,

'' Then make 'em. '' He blinks at her. Did he just hear right?

'' Pardon? ''

'' You're _the Phantom of the Opera_ , right? Toss one of your pieces at 'em and tell 'em to play it. You did it before, you can do it again. ''

'' Was it not you, my dear little temptress, that told me to converse with people I can converse with? To refrain from threatening them? '' Kathrine looks at him with a devilish smirk on her full lips,

'' Yeah. But if they act like a bitch, they get it like a bitch. '' Erik laughs loudly and wholeheartedly. Kathrine certainly is something else.

But his laughter soon fades, his expression growing serious. In his mind he drifts back to his previous question he still couldn't find an answer to.

'' Am I still the Phantom? After what happened tonight, I am not sure if that is still the case. ''

'' Why's that? ''

'' People were afraid of me because they thought I was a Ghost, immortal. They now know I am of flesh and blood, not a ghost but someone rejected by the world who is hiding inside their walls. '' Kathrine's eyes narrow as she looks down on him. There's something flashing in her beautiful eyes that scream danger,

'' They were afraid because of what you did. Ghost or not, that doesn't make you less intimidating. Personally, I think there's nothing scarier than humanity. And _y_ _ou_ have something on you that screams danger. '' Erik rests his elbows on the closed lid of his organ to put his chin on his folded hands. He looks up at her almost daring,

'' Is that so? '' She leans down to him then, her voice low,

'' I don't fall in love with _simple_. '' Erik shudders and he knows she noticed because there is a smirk turning up the edges of her mouth. They stay in their positions for a while before Kathrine straightens again,

'' They will play what you order them to. André and Firmin are well aware that you bring a lot of money to the Opera. Your plays are unique and they cause attention. It would financially cost them too much to defy you. Plus you're still terrifying them and I think they're afraid you might drop a curtain on them. ''

'' I want an honest answer: What is so fascinating about this incident? ''

'' A curtain. ''

'' So? ''

'' If you don't get it, you don't deserve to know. ''

'' There is no deeper meaning behind it. You just find it amusing. ''

'' Yeah. '' They smile at each other and Kathrine kicks him slightly,

'' Really now though, you're coming to England with me. '' His playful smile drops and he, too, leans back,

'' I am not sure this would be a good idea. ''

'' Why not? Scared of meeting my family? My mom's a barking dog but she won't bite if you don't give her a reason for it. Or ask. ''

'' I presume your mother only wishes what is best for you, correct? ''

'' Yeah of course. ''

'' Then she will _not_ be pleased with me. I am much… but certainly I am not what is best for you. '' Her expression stays serious,

'' Yes you are. ''

'' No I am not. Look at you. You are beautiful and gifted and you deserve the world bowing before you. I am a cursed abortion. A freak. No matter what might be the reason for my deformed face, it is a curse for both you and your career. I adore you more than anything on the world and I would never do anything to hurt you… not intentionally… I cherish every second you spend here with me but… I am not sure if it would be best for you to openly show yourself with me. '' She sighs then and Erik knows he made her upset. He understands that Kathrine sees something in him, even though he cannot grasp how she can do that. But she also needs to understand that her career and her reputation are more important right now. He would never forgive himself if Kathrine would have any more trouble because of him.

'' Erik, you are the most handsome man I have ever met. And I've met a lot of good-looking lads, trust me. You're charming and funny, you are beyond the point of a simple gentleman, you are talented, intelligent, kind, honest… Trust me, you're not bad for me in any way. ''

'' Kathrine…'' She shakes her head, silently urging him to let her continue. He bites the inside of his cheek nervously as she continues,

'' I'm a sick person Erik. Those pills I get each morning are what keeps me going and normally a day without 'm would instantly cause an Episode. But I don't need 'em that much when I'm with you. I don't know what it is about you, but you somehow have some kind of influence on me that… makes me feel better. So _please_ come to England with me? '' She's looking at him with round eyes and a pout. How could he ever say not to her?

'' If my angel commands. ''

* * *

'' Gooood mooooorning sunshine! '' Nathan winces at a sudden and very loud scream right next to his ear. He already knows who it is before he opens his eyes and finds Kat's face close enough to his that their noses are almost touching. She's flashing him a huge, mischievous grin. He growls,

'' Get the hell out…'' As soon as he turned his back to her, he's wet and cold and with a manly scream he falls out of the bed. The floor provides very little soothing so that falling face-down is everything but pleasant. The mid-aged teacher needs a moment to recover and process what just happened before finally glaring up at the new object of his fully bundled hatred,

'' I swear to god, the moment I'm back in England I'll mark you bloody bitch as a cheater! Good luck writing every exam new! Try to shag your boyfriend when you're nose deep in a book! '' Kat appears to be completely unaffected by his anger. Instead she puts the bucket aside that carried the water that is now all over him and leans down to him with the same grin,

'' Stop whining. Now swing your cute ass into some cloths or I'll start playing Walking on Sunshine. ''

'' Don't. You. Dare. '' Her grin becomes a tad meaner,

'' Move it Mrs Robinson! In 10 minutes I want you all dolled up at the entrance. '' He looks after her as she leans the room with a wave over her shoulder. Nathan remains a minute or two longer on the ground.

 _If only he would have kidnapped her and tied her down somewhere…!_

* * *

'' Got the bucket too, eh? '' Jessie asks the moment he walks up to the small crowd that already formed in front of the entrance.

 _If only they'd been this eager in school…_

His eyes move around the young adults, most of them seem rather pissed off. It doesn't need a genius to find out what happened. He sighs,

'' You too? '' Jessie nods. Andrea smirks next to him,

'' I was up as she came in and got a piece of chocolate. '' She receives a nasty glare from everyone, especially Emily seems to be ready to kill her,

'' And you mean bitch didn't even stop her. '' Andrea shrugs. Fiona leans against the wall, her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes closed.

'' I got up at her first warning. ''

'' Yeah, that's why you're so tired. You didn't get the shocker. '' Emily answers but she doesn't exactly sound thankful for that little present.

'' I got two buckets cause I lay down again after the Devil's Daughter left and the sneaky bitch noticed. '' Josh mutters and rubs his hands over his face. He's definitely the one who's most tired. Kat's idea is a bloody pain in the ass.

'' You think she pulls that bucket-trick with Holly too? ''

'' Would explain why she's not here. Holly killed her. '' Josh snorts,

'' I'm not gonna explain _that_ to her boyfriend. '' Everyone quickly touches their noses with their pointing fingers. They grin at Nathan as he notices the movements too slow and touches his nose as the last. The round of mean grins urging him to accept his fate have him snorting,

'' You can get that right outa yer heads. One lasso around my neck was enough, thank you. '' Andrea nods,

'' Fair enough. Fiona, you were the last. '' Fiona pales visibly,

'' Oh bugger… Josh? ''

'' Yeah babe? ''

'' Bury me close to the house we wanted to buy, maybe the flowers grow good on me. '' Josh nods with a small smirk,

'' Okay. '' Fiona glares at him,

'' Asshole. ''

'' Hey, the finger decides. You were too slow. Fair's fair. '' The group turns as they suddenly hear someone running up to them.

'' See babe, yer gonna live. '' Kat's making wild movements with her arms but she's not slowing down as she gets closer,

'' Hey good to see ye all on your feet! We can talk later, we better should be runnin' ! Go, go, go! '' Kat yells and runs past them. They only need to wait another moment before Holly follows, her curly hair still wet and her eyes furious enough to let on she's ready to murder. Jessie shakes his head,

'' Damn, the girl's Godzilla in a dress. '' The round laughs only a moment before following after the two women. Nathan sighs and shakes his head, this is going to be a long day and he can already feel that aneurysm announcing itself.

* * *

They spend the day in town, mostly in the pub and at the docs. By the end of the day all of the graduates including the teacher are drunk and/or exhausted. Most of them quickly say good-bye to Kat before limping on board where they're probably collapsing somewhere. Their belongings were already brought to their rooms so there's nothing to worry about.

It was fun, actually. At least after Nathan promised to not be the teacher tonight and in case he is ever questioned he heard nothing and knows nothing. They brought up old stories of funny or memorable moments. Every student will remember their time in school, especially their last year will stick to their memory. Nathan just didn't want this to be a bad memory to anyone and he's really sure he archived his goal.

So they told stories and Nathan controlled himself most of the time. It is unbelievable how many drugs those kids consumed during their time in school. And especially right before class. Of course he noticed a pair of bloodshot eyes and that far-too-calm glance here and now, but their alcohol and pot stories sometimes really did it for him. After he accidentally slipped that he was almost the same in their age it was his turn to tell stories. It was a great atmosphere.

But it was very much recognizable why they brought up the worst stuff they could find. Those were the times they really interacted with each other. Not the fleeting small talk every so often but real conversation. Of course another big laugh was the pranks they, especially Kat and Josh, pulled on teachers. The way Holly always put Kat in line when she was arguing too enthusiastically or how Andrea and Fiona tried to give fashion advice to one female teacher who has the reputation of dressing very oddly. They fought, they laughed, they partied and they lived an adventure. Nathan knows that they're ready to live their lives, and that they're gonna make it.

By the time the ship is ready to depart, Nathan, Holly and Jessie are the only ones left who have to say their good-byes to Kat. Nathan watches how Jessie spins her a couple of times before they hug tightly and promise to get in touch as soon as she's in England. Jessie then kisses her cheek and steps on board.

* * *

'' Kat…'' Mister Williams excuses himself silently and gives Kat and Holly some privacy to talk. As Kat sees Holly's expression she sighs,

'' Oh I know that face… What is it? ''

'' I like Erik. He's nice, intelligent, charming and obviously madly in love with you…''

'' But? ''

'' But… He's bonkers, the dangerous kind. You still know that, right? If you ever decide to leave him… he might not let you. '' Kat shrugs her shoulders, her eyes moving over the water for a moment to consider her next words. After all Holly has a steady contact to her family and she wouldn't want either of them to worry for her. Especially because Erik's possible aggressive attempts to keep her from leaving later are not really the real issue right now. Not to her at least. The thing that's bugging her more is, in fact, the right opposite.

'' I know. '' Holly's eyes suddenly narrow, her voice low,

'' I trust that you break him if he tries to hurt you. '' Kat smirks, Holly never before told her to hurt someone, she was usually the one ripping her away from possible opponents. Still, there's a nagging at the back of her mind and Kat knows that nagging. She bites her lip, her eyes on the ground,

'' To be honest… I'm afraid that he might tell me to screw off. ''

'' The bloke's obsessed with you. He wouldn't send you away even if you held him at gunpoint. '' Kat shakes her head,

'' He's afraid of hurting me and disgusted by himself. He's ill, really much so. I actually thought about trying to get him to start a therapy. He agreed to come to England with me. Maybe I get him to Doctor Bloomfield, at least for a few sessions. Maybe it helps. Right now he's not that afraid because of what happened. I laid my cards bare, I told him what can destroy me. I stepped so clearly out of my comfort zone that he just needs to say one word to wreck me. Just one. And if he rejects me or tells me to go- '' Holly interrupts her just as Kat feels her throat tightening. Holly's voice is soft,

'' You know he wouldn't mean it. ''

'' I know. Logically I know that just as well as you do. But that doesn't change what happens to me should the situation happen. For me it's everything or nothing right now. Go big or go home. '' Holly's responding with a stern look to Kat's attempt at a bratty grin.

'' Maybe that's your problem. Everything you do, you do with your whole self. But perhaps… at least right now, you should keep it down a tad. '' Holly's eyes get a sympathetic look as Kat shakes her head softly,

'' It's too late for that. Either I stay here and it works out… or I'll be back soon and need more sessions with Dr. Bloomfield and stronger meds. '' Holly doesn't answer for a while. Kat has her hands in her pockets to hide how bad they're shaking but right now she's sure Holly will notice it because her shoulders are giving her away. The thought occurred to her several times now and it's making her sicker each time it comes up. She wouldn't try to leave, not for a while at least. But Erik might send her away if he thinks it would be best to do so. And while she can consider this rationally right now, she knows that she won't be able to do that as soon as it comes down to that. And that's what's really scaring her.

'' Is that why you want to sleep with him that badly? '' A guilty smile comes to her lips,

'' Sounds stupid but… maybe that's what he needs to trust me. ''

'' It's very much possible. I mean sex is intimate, especially for a virgin. You said he's not ready for that yet. Maybe getting laid equals earning his complete trust, which seems to be an overall win. And you know what you're doing after all. '' Kat smirks and nudges Holly playfully with her elbow,

'' Did you read the reviews on me? '' Holly smirks with slight guilt on her face,

'' I was curios. ''

'' Hey if you'd said that sooner, I'd have given you some discount. You could've booked me. ''

'' Don't push it. '' Kat shrugs as Holly shoves her playfully and opens her arms,

'' Give good ol' Kat a nice hug before you go or I'll push ya into the water. ''

'' How could I say no to that? '' Holly abruptly pulls Kat into a firm embrace.

'' Call the moment you're back in England. ''

'' Will do. '' Kat kisses Holly's cheek before pulling back. Holly smiles at her another moment and turns then to get onto the boat. Mister Williams is the last one to wait for her and as soon as Holly is gone, he's approaching her. The others on board are nowhere to be seen, probably busy with something. Kat swallows hard as Nathan musters her,

'' So… I guess this is it then. ''

'' What, you think you're gettin' rid of me just cause I move? Cute. '' He gives her a looks as she grins in return.

'' I'm sure there's nothing left I have to say? ''

'' Nope, I had the talk already. Twice. What you gotta do though, is hug me. ''

'' But only because you asked so nicely. '' Kat's tensed muscles relax a little as Nathan hugs her wholeheartedly. Maybe he really can get used to the thought of her being safe here. He doesn't have to love him, just accept him in her life. That's all she's asking for. Erik seems to be at the point where he's at least accepting Nathan. All Kat needs is Nathan's blessing now.

'' Be careful and don't get into too much trouble. '' Her fingers claw a little into his shirt while she nods, her answer a whisper,

'' I'll pay a visit when I'm back in England. ''

'' Take your pills Kat. ''

'' Don't worry, I will. '' They pull back and look at each other in silence for a moment. Nathan rubs his neck uncomfortably

'' Well, he is attractive. I guess. '' He suddenly mutters. Kat abruptly beams at him. With one step she's right in front of him again and cups his cheeks. Before he has time to react she kisses his nose and throws her arms around his neck once more,

'' Thank you. ''

'' You tell me the second he hurts you. I can't sword-fight but I can shoot. ''

'' Will do. '' Finally Nathan turns and steps onto the boat too. Kat watches how the wooden plank is removed and the boat slowly begins to depart. A heavy silence falls over them as the graduates watch how more and more water separates them from the 19th century France and with that from Kat as well. A few wave but Kat only faintly Salutes before her arms cross over her chest. Especially Holly and Jessie suddenly each get a heavy heart. They see her again, sure. But Kat's not only moving away a few hours. She's in another world that you only reach with a boat you have to order. It won't be easy to keep up the contact. To Jessie and Holly this farewell feels like a final one.

'' Yo! '' The 7 people look up to see Kat jumping onto another smaller boat to close the distance at least a little. Suddenly she raises her arm to flip them off,

'' Fuck you! Fuck you! And _especially_ fuck you! '' Her finger moves from the class to Mister Williams and lastly to Holly and Jessie. The others exchange a small glance before cheering loudly. Kat waits another few minutes before finally turning and making her way back to the Opera house.


	21. Chapter 20 - Love Me, That's All I Ask

**Chapter 20 – Love Me, That's All I Ask Of You**

* * *

'' Miss Jones. '' Kat stops on her way to the chapel as Carlotta and Piangi suddenly walk up to her rather hastily. With a heavy sigh she waits until they stop in front of her before putting her hands in her hips,

'' What did he do? ''

'' I was given a leading role. '' Kat's eyes grow a little wider as she purses her lips, not sure how to react to that. Lastly she pops her lips and turns to leave again,

'' Oh, well, good for you. Bye- ''

'' Miss Jones- ''

'' Y'know, you could just call me Kat. Everyone does. ''

'' I presume for your… beastly way to handle opponents. '' Piangi suddenly concludes and Kat chuckles,

'' You saw that? ''

'' It did not take long to wake my husband. '' Kat's expression becomes a little grim for a moment before offering a friendly smile at the leading singer,

'' I'm glad you're fine. ''

'' As am I. ''

'' It was quite an impressive show. Those men where armed and ready to kill you. '' Carlotta says, her voice still sharp with arrogance but not as much as before. Maybe the couple doesn't despise her as much as she thought. Kat shrugs, her voice careful,

'' They were threatening my friends and…''

'' The man you love. '' Carlotta finishes, the sharp edge suddenly barely there any longer. Kat bites the inside of her cheek as she nods,

''…Yeah. ''

'' As I said before, I was given a leading role. ''

'' _So_? ''

'' It is a _leading_ role. Your… _Fiance…_ added a list to the envelope with the scores on which was written who he wants cast for what role. '' Kat takes the scores from Carlotta as the older woman hands them to her eagerly. Kat's face twists into slight surprise, she abruptly recognizes the music. It's one of his. He actually told them to play on of his operas and they do so. Oh she would love to know if he threatened anyone or if they abruptly agreed to perform this.

'' I would like to know if this was your doing. '' Kat glances back up at Carlotta. The other woman looks everything but satisfied. She's probably not buying it. Kat can't say she takes it bad on the Diva. Erik did play more than one 'prank' on her in the past and they both know that this engagement thing probably won't stop him from playing more pranks on her in the future. Especially if Carlotta decides to play another Soprano role. The younger woman laughs, slightly perplex about the situation herself. Erik actually gave Carlotta Guidicelli a leading role. There has to be a hidden camera somewhere.

'' Heh… I uh… I really didn't have anything to do with tha'. I mean… we talked about starting a new project… I just didn't think he'd give you one of his own this quickly. ''

'' _His_ _own_ _?_ He _wrote_ it? But this is _brilliant_. '' Piangi throws in while Carlotta looks at her baffled. Kat can't help the sudden feeling of pride in her stomach. Pride about how baffled they are about the Opera her Phantom wrote. He'll get a really necessary push to his ego once she tells him and it's really about damn time. Erik will be happy to hear someone except her is appreciates his music.

'' Well, yeah. I already said he's good at this stuff. '' The leading Lady obviously abruptly knows what Kat's talking about because she crosses her arms over her chest. But right now she still seems unsure about how to react properly,

'' You said many things. ''

'' And I meant every word of it. I still don't get why I couldn't say your name though… 's still bugging me. '' She shakes the memory off quickly and holds her hand out,

'' Sorry, can I see that again real quick? ''

'' Of course. '' Kat takes a closer look at the notes now. As she realizes what seemed wrong about them to her, she smiles.

'' What is it? '' Kat shakes her head with a smile and hands the scores back to Carlotta again.

'' Those were Soprano as I first saw them. So… he must have re-written them so that you can play the part. ''

'' I really doubt he would do that. ''

'' Canario, I've seen every bit of his stuff and I know for a 100% that this leadin' role was written for a Soprano. '' (Canary) Carlotta's eyes narrow but Piangi is the first one to speak up, his voice almost filled with frustrated confusion,

'' But why would he do that? ''

'' I dunno. '' Kat shrugs but grins inwardly, maybe he's trying the whole conversing with people he can converse with after all. She was sure he'd ignore her. Carlotta titles her head slightly and Kat notes again how beautiful she actually is and how much she really drank over the day. Because now that the other drunk people keeping her adrenaline high are gone and she's calming down with the sober folks, her head starts spinning.

'' Was that any of your doing? '' She smirks slyly,

'' I was merely makin' suggestions. So if you excuse me- ''

'' Miss Jones? A word in private please? '' The 3 people turn as suddenly Monsieur André calls for her. Kat sighs dramatically while throwing her arms up. At this rate she will never make it back down,

'' Everybody wants to talk to me suddenly…'' The way to the office proves to be quite problematic. Stairs upwards and many bright colors on the floor that makes it hard to focus.

'' Yeah? '' She closes the door to the managers' office as soon as she's inside where she sees both men in front of the desks, both look like they don't really know how to begin so Kat titles her head to the side in question,

'' We… We are sure you already heard of the new Opera? ''

'' Just now. ''

'' Can you tell us whose music it is? '' Monsieur André begins on what Monsieur Firmin continues,

'' We are not certain what name to announce when we make the introduction. ''

'' He didn't tell you? '' Kat asks surprised and Firmin nods,

'' No. And there is no name on the map either. It certainly is brilliant, which is why we need the name. People will be asking about it. ''

'' _He_ wrote it. '' On Kat's answer they both freeze. For a while they just look at her like two fish outside of water,

'' What? ''

'' Erik wrote it. It's his work. ''

'' You… are joking? '' André asks carefully and Kat raises her eyebrow and tries her best to ignore how fuzzy everything around her is. She's going to lose her balance soon. The two managers are too busy to realize her little slip-ups so Kat takes her chance to rub her face and roll her eyes. That helps her to focus,

'' Eh… nope. Totally serious. Erik wrote that, you know, your Phantom-bloke. Tall, dark, handsome. - Oh my gosh, I'm dating Batman. '' Kat's brain really isn't that capable of functioning the way she is supposed to in front of the managers but the thought suddenly jumps into her head and she can't shake it. He's hiding in a cave, he's got money, he's a misunderstood genius that pulls up a second identity to hide his true self, he can fight, he's got the childhood-issues. All he needs is Alfred now. But that actually is Madam Giry to be honest… Who makes that Kat then?

 _Holy shit, I'm Catwoman! Hell to the fucking yeah! Jackpot on every line! Keep calm and fuck me Batman! -I need to sober up. He can't take my controlled flirting, if I drunk-flirt and get touchy he'll die. I wanna get laid by my Batman now…!_

'' Excuse us…? '' She snaps out of it as she finally realizes that she's still in front of Firmin and André and smiles apologetic,

'' Sorry, I lost focus. I'm drunk. Where were we? Right, Opera. Yeah, Erik wrote it. He's got like a million more of those. Trust me, you're sold out for decades if he keeps giving you those. ''

'' He has more? ''

'' Yeah. He's at it a _long_ while now. You're pretty safe with new plays. '' The two men exchange a look. They're not really comfortable with the thought to work with Erik but Kat can see how stunned they are about Erik's work and it's really filling her with even more pride.

'' How are we going to answer the question about who wrote it? '' Firmin suddenly throws his hands up, the uncomfortable silence obviously replaced by a sudden irritated impulse. He walks around his desk as if he wants to pick something up but only stops at some point to look at André,

'' Excuse us Messieurs, who wrote it? ''

'' Oh the Phantom did. '' Monsieur André abruptly answers in a dramatic voice. Firmin fakes shock,

'' The same that killed dozen of people and terrorizes the Opera for years on? ''

'' Oh yes, he became quite human since he is engaged to the beautiful Latina Soprano Diva. ''

'' In that case, let us just forget the past! '' Kat claps as soon as they're done while laughing loudly. They don't seem as amused at her laughter,

'' Great performance, you two should become comedians! And very flattering, thank you. ''

'' Miss Jones, this is serious. ''

'' Yeah well what am I supposed to do! Say it was written by Erik. No last name. Like Cher. ''

'' Who is Cher? '' Kat falters for a moment before nodding to herself,

'' Right, too soon… -Just say Erik. ''

'' Any last name? ''

'' Nope. ''

'' Erik Jones it is then. '' Kat sticks her tongue out,

'' Ugh that sounds horrible. ''

'' Well we will need a last name. In case you are not aware of that, people are quite noisy. ''

'' Erik Le Fantóme. '' Kat suggests after a while and both managers give her a look,

'' Is that not a little too obvious? ''

'' Hey take it or leave it babes but that's all of a suggestion you get from me. Now, if you excuse me, I just realized that I literally have Batman waiting for me and I'm in _serious_ need for some sexy time before I turn back into a virgin at midnight. '' Without waiting for them to say anything she quickly leaves the room on wobbly steps. Reaching the chapel was easy and this secret tunnel is barely for climbing, very steep. That, of course, is the easiest task for Kathrine. Until she sees something black at the end of the tunnel, looses her footing and falls right into Erik's arms. The alcohol now really seems to kick in and she giggles at herself. The darkness and the small space really did work well with the liquor. She glances up at him to find him staring down to her amused. A drunken smile comes to her lips as she nuzzles her nose into the crook of his neck,

'' Hello guapo. How's it going? '' (Handsome)

'' If you are asking about my well being, I am fine. I trust your farewell was quite a success? ''

'' Estoy on poco borracho…'' (I'm a little drunk)

'' Así lo veo. '' (So I see) He steadies her position in his arms a little and starts walking. His steps are smooth and even and it makes it easy for Kat to just relax and close her eyes while her head rests on his shoulder comfortably. He smells amazing. Like fire and books and ink. There's that musky scent that is his natural body scent and she can't resist the urge to wrap her arms around his neck. Teasingly slow she licks along his carotid artery all the way up to his lips where she sucks on his bottom lip. She can feel him shudder and for a second his steps falter as he pulls back,

'' Kathrine…'' His voice probably was supposed to sound like a warning but there's a lot of desire in there. She can blame the alcohol should he be cross with her later but she just needs to touch this man. And even more she needs to be touched in return. Kat shifts in his arms enough to be able to kiss him properly and while he's responding well at first, he ends it far too soon.

'' Kathrine, you are extremely intoxicated. '' She hums as she starts rubbing herself against him,

'' Don't forget horny… Pretty please Erik, I need sex. I'm a cat in heat, please breed me. '' He shudders and Kat takes that as her green light to bite his ear gently, run her tongue along the shell. Suddenly there's a bed under her and Erik's gone. She opens her eyes to find him standing next to the bed, his hands on his hips,

'' I refuse to take any actions while you are in this state. '' His voice is scolding but it has a rougher sound to it. She can see the small bulge in his pants. He wants her, he always wanted her. In the bathroom as he helped her out of the corset, as they were dancing. Just _what_ is wrong with her that he's not _jumping_ her already? How much more vocal approval does he need? Should she make a contract? What's wrong?

'' I'm _in this state_ since you first took me down 'ere. I never do somethin' I wouln' do sober! '' She snaps at him without meaning to but she's frustrated and he's interested but blocking her off. Call it childish but she never before had to work for anyone. They were interested before she could say 'Hi'.

She sits up on her knees and stares right back at him,

'' You're _hard_ , you're _interested_. We don't have to seal the deal, just let me make you feel good…'' His eyes are dark, the bulge is getting bigger. She uses that to grasp him on his shirt and pull him into the bed with her slowly. Erik allows her to push him down until he lies on his back and she straddle his hips again. She leans down and presses gentle kisses along his deformed cheek, down to his lips, jaw, throat. While her lips suck on his collarbone a little, her hands slip under his shirt to touch his body. She can feel his scars under her fingertips and rubs her thumps along them. Erik's moaning under her, she can feel goosebumps on him. Both his hands each have a hold of her upper arms but he's not stopping her, he just needs to hold on to her.

'' Kathrine…- '' His attempt to speak is quickly cut off as she kisses him, her tongue gently playing with his. He rocks his hips subconsciously.

'' Shhh… relax. Just lean back and close your eyes… I can make you feel good…'' He shudders from her breath on his lips, from the purr in her voice. Kat pushes his shirt up just a tad and crawls down to lick along his stomach. She nibbles on the scars available to her, runs her tongue along them. One of Erik's hands now clutches to the sheets, the other is still on her arm until Kat takes it in both of hers. She looks into his eyes as she kisses his palm and nibbles on his thump. The response Erik gives right now is positive, he enjoys her care. The closeness he never felt must be overwhelming for him. She will hold her promise, she won't try to sleep with him. All she wants to do is grant him some normality he never got to experience.

'' _God… Kathrine_ …'' Erik's voice is rough, she loves the sound of it. Kat sits between his legs but crawls up to kiss him shortly. He's not even looking at her, he's leaning back with his eyes closed, completely relaxed and willing to just trust her for once. She smiles, maybe Erik will allow her to do this and she earn his trust. Step by step.

Her eyes shift to the spot where a line of dark hair on his stomach disappears in his pants. She shifts on him and runs her fingers along that line,

'' See… feels good right? I can make it feel even better… I swear you're gonna love this…'' She whispers, her own voice very little slurred but hoarse from the arousal. Kat leans down to kiss along the line of hair, along the thin pants until she reaches the bulge she was aiming at. At the first kiss to his covered member, Erik's body jerks and he props himself up on his elbows. Kat glances up at him, his eyes are wild, his hair messy. The deformed half of his face is right in the light of a candle and she can't help but think how handsome he looks. Without taking her eyes off his, she licks along the bulge slowly. And suddenly the wild look disappears and Erik shakes his head,

'' No- Kathrine stop. '' The change of his mood has her stopping abruptly. Something happened.

'' What's wrong? You feel good, right? ''

'' You should not be doing this. You are intoxicated and not in control of your actions. I am not comfortable to use you like that. '' Suddenly he sits up. As she realizes he wants to get out of the bed she clings to his arm,

'' No- wait! '' He pushes her off without even sparing her a glance and slips out of the bed. Before he can reach the curtains that lead him to the living room, Kat sits up on her knees and tosses the next best object close to her at him in anger and pure frustration.

'' What is it! What's wrong with me!? '' He stops to look at her,

'' I do not know what- ''

'' Why do you always push me back?! _Why don't you want me_!? What is wrong with me?! What! ''

'' Kathrine- ''

'' No! I don't want any of that 'you're drunk' bullshit! You love me and I have your damn ring on my finger! This is the closest to marriage we will ever get! Fine, let's have sex when I'm sober, I get that. But why can't I even touch you!? Is it something about me!? Is there something wrong with me? ''

'' No. Of course not. You are perfect. ''

'' Why do you always push me back then? I'm not someone who can go without sex. I'm addicted to it, I need it. It's messy and exhausting and amazing! And I love you and I've never wanted someone that bad before! And you want me too because for brief moments you try to act out on it but then you push me away again! And again! And again! '' Erik listens to her screaming without interrupting, he's not even doing so after she finished. Instead he comes back to her side and tucks her in under the covers gently. Kat grits her teeth because suddenly she's tired. Last stage of alcohol, you're dead tired.

'' Damn it…'' With a sigh she drops her head on the pillow and allows Erik to run his fingers through her hair, caress her cheek.

'' Bugger off...'' She growls as he presses a kiss to her head and receives a chuckle,

'' Rest now my love, we will discuss this in the morning. I love you. '' Kat bites her tongue and holds still until he's not directly above her any longer. Yelling at him only gave him the opportunity to blame the alcohol -and only the alcohol for her state. It might be lowering her patience a little and open the door to her feelings which she tries to hide and restrain all the time. There was a small hole in it, solely granting her therapist and Holly to dig into them. Since she met Erik, there's a door. And right now it's open. And the question from before returns to her mind.

 _Is there something wrong with me…?_

* * *

'' Erik? '' Erik finds Kathrine sitting again as he turns. Considering how very drunk she is he expected her to be fast asleep already, her eyes looked heavy as he tucked her in. He spent the day with finally writing down the notes to their song- as well as announcing that there will be a new production coming up soon. After countless pacing he decided to, like Kathrine put it, just toss one of his own pieces at them and command them to play it. He also added a list that strictly told who he wants cast as well as for what role he wants them cast. Originally he wrote the leading Lady's role in Soprano but he was also aware of the possibility that Kathrine might have his head should he attempt to put her into such a role again so soon. And now that their journey to England is only 11 more days away, Kathrine certainly would not even try to learn any text. And perhaps Carlotta will finally learn that her voice is fit for alto and not soprano. He cannot say that he looks forward to endure her in another leading role, but he surely will spare himself many headaches this way.

'' Yes my angel? '' Kathrine's bites her lip as she looks at the blanket. Slowly her eyes shift to meet his, the playful expression replaced by something much more serious and, to his surprise, even worried. She looks sad, desperate for something that she might fear. Slowly a small, weak smile comes to her lips,

'' Why don't you want me? ''

'' What? ''

'' I understand that you didn't want to do anything before, cause we weren't together then. But now we're kind of engaged… and you still push me away. So why don't you want me? We were really going somewhere two days ago and you were very clearly interested but you still pushed me off and I wanna know… I mean… is there something wrong with me…? '' Clearly the alcohol is talking for her and yet Kathrine's words of concern do surprise him. She made it very clear to him that she has had a lot of sexual partners. As he spoke to her about flirting with Meg Giry right after they met she bluntly let him know that, had she wanted Meg for one of those partners, she would have had her before he would even have found out about it. The insecurity in this certain area is… surprising. Surely she cannot take his refusal to take their relationship to this very important step as a personal insult, or even a critic on her marvelous body? Kathrine has, even with the anxiety, always beamed with confidence, especially if it had anything to do with her aestheticism. Could she really worry that he finds her unattractive and refuses her this step because of that?

Slowly a small smile comes to his lips and her eyes abruptly move back to the blanket. He shakes his head to himself before walking back to the bed where he sits down next to her,

'' No… No of course there is nothing wrong with you. How could you ever think that? You are perfect in every way imaginable… '' Suddenly her lips begins to twitch as if it is hard for her to speak her next words. Is it possible that the alcohol allows Kathrine to talk about emotions she usually cannot express either because of her anxiety or for her simple incapability to do so? She is not slurring any longer, as if the alcohol finally lowered down something that barricades her way to emotions that might hurt her. Gently Erik covers her folded hands on the blanket with his own. Kathrine watches this gesture with insecurity. She bites her lip,

'' Then what is it?… You see, usually I don't have _any_ convincing to do on that part …so this is really confusing. And frustrating… Especially if you constantly give me the green light in one moment and the fifty shades of red in the next. '' His smile only grows softer as he grabs her chin to gently urge her to look at him. As her eyes stubbornly refuse to meet his, he presses a gentle kiss to her forehead, his lips lingering on her skin for a moment before he leans back,

'' Kathrine… look at me. '' Slowly she meets his glance, still there is a shadow of this silly, adorable insecurity. He releases her chin to free her poor bottom lip from the torture of her teeth. His squeezes her hands reassuringly,

'' I cannot deny that you experience does worry me a little. If you were a woman of my world, I could try to mask every mistake I make. But you can detect those mistakes before I can, what robs me of the possibility to try to hide them. Kathrine, my wish to wait with this is no critic to your body and it certainly is not because I do not want you either… I want you with every fiber of my being, and sometimes I think that my desire for you will drive me mad…'' He pauses to watch the reaction in her eyes. The shadow of insecurity slowly disappears from her eyes and something that looks very much like great relief replaces it. Satisfied with himself that he could clear that silly idea out of her mind he inches his face a little closer to hers,

'' I understand that this is very important for you and I am willing to finally get used to the thought that you will do worse things to me than I can imagine should I attempt to push this much longer. But I am asking you to help me with that by limiting your attempts to maybe one each day instead of 20. I am sure you will feel a lot more rested and I will have the time to actually think about this for once. '' The tense and every last bit of Kathrine's insecurities is fully blown away at his carefully selected words and he watches how she laughs loudly. This sound is a completely different kind of music to his ears but he cannot say that he enjoys it any less than the music his organ creates.

'' I absolutely love it when you use sarcasm on me. ''

'' If you are willing to share your knowledge with me, we could climb this together, in small steps. '' A sweet smile comes to her lips before she nods gently,

'' Of course. ''

'' Now sleep, my lovely beautiful angel of music. We will have more time to discuss this when you are not under the influence of this much alcohol. '' He presses a gentle kiss to her lips and leans back to smile at her again.

'' I love you…'' Erik freezes. Those very same words he just wanted to tell her get stuck in his throat at her whispered confession. She said it before. The first time on the carriage and then before the scholar found his way into their home. Other than that she mentioned two times to him how she already told him that she loved him. But those very specific 3 words she has rarely ever said yet. So to have her now say them so willingly and so openly and so very solely on her own is… overwhelming. He needs a moment to properly catch himself again and recover from that before he smiles at her again, his voice turning into a soft hum,

'' _I love you_ , _Kathrine_ …''

* * *

Erik made sure to have breakfast and coffee prepared by the time Kathrine wakes up. He took her usual time and added 3 hours, due to the alcohol she has to sleep off. Which turned out to be about right. He just puts the last items on the table as Kathrine shuffles past him into the bathroom, her already messy hair even messier and the makeup she didn't wipe off last night now forming dark circles under her eyes that remind Erik of the eyes of a Panda. Last night he allowed himself to slip into the covers next to her but his attempt to keep a polite distance between them was quickly dismissed because the moment he lay still, Kathrine cuddled into him as if he was nothing more but a fluffed bear. He is used to her rather clingy sleeping-nature but that was new. He cannot stop the chuckle that escapes his lips at both the memory on that and Kathrine's current appearance.

'' This ain't funny bitch, stop laughing! I look like a frikkin' dead Punk-Panda! '' Kathrine's yelling from the bathroom does not exactly cause a reason for his laughter to fade anytime soon. He fills the mug she grew fond of with coffee, milk and sugar and offers it to her as soon as she comes out of the bathroom. The makeup is completely washed off. Erik thinks that the lack of makeup around her eyes is bringing out the color of her eyes even more. Dark brown but with a small line of gray around her iris. She is beautiful whether or not she paints her face. Resisting her last night was a challenge he was very close to giving up. To just let this untameable tigress show him what he has been missing.

'' I love you, Kathrine. '' She snatches the mug out of his hand,

'' Ew. No feeling-talk before my 3rd cup o' coffee today. '' He bites back a grin. Very interesting. So the alcohol _did_ influence her willingness and her capability to talk about this so openly. He is almost willed to give her more -on the other hand that would be unnecessary because the way he knows Kathrine, she will drink again soon. He should hide the alcohol he has here. She is already dangerously close to be an alcoholic and Erik would rather avoid this. It does feel nice to have Kathrine open up to him on her own though. Each time she has done so in the past, whether it was to declare her love or to explain her anxiety to him, it was because he pushed her into corners that left her no other choice but to react this way. But last night she simply talked to him because she wanted to, not because it was the necessary thing to do.

'' What. '' He breaks out of his thoughts as she snaps at him, the faintest pout on her lips. He smiles and shakes his head,

'' No feeling-talk before your third coffee. '' Kathrine mutters something under her breathe that sounds very much like Spanish swearing to him before taking another gulp from her mug.

After they ate in silence for a while and Kathrine's mood became noticeably better, she suddenly drops her hand on his arm and begins to draw small circles on his skin. He looks at the motion surprised but cannot help the pleasant shudder to wash over his body. He never noticed how sensitive the skin of the insides of his arms is. Or perhaps it is that Kathrine has a magical effect on him. For some time Erik tries his best to not look at Kathrine or her finger moving on his arm but when he finally cannot contain himself any longer he finds her still fully focused on breakfast.

* * *

Erik said he will bring the dishes up into the kitchen and wait for the kitchen to clean it. With the many dishes they are doing every day, a few more won't be causing any attention. When Erik returns, he is met with music Kathrine previously called 'one of her favorites'. The female singer's smokey voice appeals to her and the unique music helps her to focus, but she never mentioned on what it helps her to focus. As Erik pushes the curtain to the living room open, he knows what she meant and freezes. She is dressed in that outfit again which she hid under her dress, a sports-bra and sweatpants if he remembers it correctly.

As he looks closer at what she's doing, he recognizes a move as a bridge kickover, a gymnastic exercise. While Kathrine has mentioned that she is well familiar with gymnastics next to the material arts, he has never seen her exercising before. The training of a gymnastic and a ballerina do share certain similarities, but gymnastics tend to be a lot more athletic because ballet mainly focuses on the legs while gymnastics use their full bodies. Of course this proves to be a great benefit for Kathrine's material arts training. Erik crosses his arms over his chest and leans against the wall as he watches her going through many standard movements like several cartwheels, handstands, round offs and bridge kickovers. But there are also many Erik cannot name but looks magnificent. He especially is amazed how well trained her roundoff back handspring is. Of course he knew Kathrine is very well trained but now he is confronted with her entire potential after weeks without exercise. No flaws, no mistakes, nothing Erik could criticize. As she attempts her third roundoff back handspring in a row though, she slips and crashes to the ground quite hard.

'' _Hit and run Baby hit and run, hit and run. Oh, oh, oh… You know this world is mean, nothin's for free. It's money and technology. Together we'd be deadly_ …''

His first instinct is to run to her, to ask her if she is alright. But Kathrine quickly shakes the pain off and sits up from where she goes directly into a pressed handstand. She finishes with another, this time flawless, handspring as soon as the song ends and stops in a finishing position that she remains in for a moment. Slowly she allows her body to relax and shakes out her limbs. While stretching her neck Kathrine selects a new song on her phone.

The new title has a much harder, challenging sound to it. The singer is male, Kathrine described this type as Rap. He's not sure what his opinion on this certain type is but Kathrine seems to enjoy it greatly. Erik understands that it is a good motivation while training material arts though. Kathrine uses her athletic body to put as much swing and strength into her kicks that would be necessary to knock a man twice her size and body weight over easily. Women are naturally weaker than men, but if someone's technique is as precise as Kathrine's, strength barely even matters. She tossed the Inspecteur's body several feet away in her attack and managed to efficiently knock out 4 more men before they could cause her any harm. They had guns, they were heavier and taller and yet Kathrine managed to beat them with such ease it is laughable. Erik watches how she lifts her leg slowly to form a perfect 90°. With quick, precise movements she gives a whole series of controlled kicks into the blank space before slowly lowering her foot back to the ground. She barely has both feet on the floor for a second though because she abruptly repeats the motion with her other leg.

The next movements strongly remind Erik on Kung Fu, even though he could not say for sure because he has seen very little of the actual art that is behind this fighting style. His brows furrow in interest as Kathrine makes another press handstand but this time she opens her legs much faster before moving them in a way that helps her to build up enough swing to fully rotate her whole body. Her eyes are on her hands that help her form the motion, her cheeks grow red as the motion takes more and more effort of her. Erik can imagine that the rocky floor makes this a bit more complicated. Should she fully master that motion though, he can imagine that it would help her in case she ever is surrounded.

 _'' This is 10% luck, 20% skill, 15% concentrated power of will. 5% pleasure, 50% pain and a 100% reason to remember the name! ''_

She breaks the movement off rather rocky. Her attempt to suddenly stop the movements and jump into a stand puts her off balance through what she's tripping back until her back collides with the back of the sofa. There's pain twisting her features slightly while Kathrine shakes out her hands and rubs her wrists for a moment. Her next movements are a series of several different attacks that include kicks, hits, jumps, tricks and even scratching. Her nails are a weapon to her and Erik would be lying if he'd deny that he enjoys the memory of the deep lashes she caused the Inspecteur. Kathrine finishes without a big movement this time.

As soon as the song begins to fade out she closes her legs and breathes out deeply, her arms in front of her stomach, palms down. She makes no move to start another song what must mean she finished her exercise. Erik feels a smile tugging at his lips,

'' _Brava, brava, bravissima_ …'' Even though Kathrine's eyes stay closed for another moment she begins to smile. As he sang this to her the first time back in the chapel she thought he was a mere figment of her imagination. She never thought of him as a ghost or a phantom. He was a man to her from the very beginning on and yet she accepted his rather odd way to teach her.

As soon as their eyes meet he titles his head,

'' _Kathrine_ …'' She slowly relaxes from her position and motions him to follow her to the table where she has a glass of water.

'' Wanna do Thai Chi with me? 's just about 10 minutes. ''

'' Just where have you learned all of this? ''

'' The Gymnastic since I'm, like, 6- I think? I went into lessons until I reached the Ulite and switched to MMA. Mixed Material Arts. But normal schools only teach you the stuff that works in show-fights or to defend yourself. How to seriously injure and kill people I first learned as I was 16- in the street fights. I have a couple of friends in the Military who taught me to shoot who fight against me without holding back. It's better to have people willing to give you a good blow rather than fighting someone you know won't risk hurtin' you. ''

'' Why is it so important to you to hurt people? '' She stops in her attempt to drink out the rest of the water that is left, her eyes abruptly shifting their focus to him. Slowly puts the glass back to her lips and shrugs her shoulders as she drinks. She's acting as if it does not bother her, but her eyes are still sharp and her shoulders tense every now and then briefly.

'' With 15 I was forced into a psyche-ward with abusive doctors. I guess I just grew sick of always feeling weak. The fighting puts me in control. I can't control what's in my head, but I _can_ control everything else. ''

'' So you hurt others because you were hurt once. ''

'' Something we have in common. '' She walks past him to get back into the middle of the room. Forcefully or not, people in a psychiatric institution are supposed to help their patients. That is what the Doctors studied for, is it not? To help people. Especially children should have a right to proper treatment. If these Doctors would have done what they were supposed to, would Kathrine still be mentally unwell? Is their abuse the reason for her anxiety and her lacking trust in people? Erik uses the mask and the wig to cover his insecurities, Kathrine uses the training to cover hers.

When he turns he sees Kathrine already doing Tai Chi, her eyes closed but her motions not as fluent as they should be. He considers his next move very carefully but still walks up behind her. If she notices him, she chooses to ignore him because her eyes are not opening and she is not stopping. Carefully he wraps one arm around her waist and drapes the other over her shoulders what finally forces her to stop. Her arms come down to rest at her sides as she turns her head slightly towards him,

'' I'm fine. ''

'' I know. ''

* * *

Erik surely can count this day to the most relaxed one they have had ever since she first came down here with him. They haven't had a single fight, not even a small argument, not even as Erik stopped her from finishing her exercise. They had a rather long voice lesson and talked about the new project afterwards. Kathrine then confirmed his previous thoughts that she would have been everything but pleased had he tried to give her the leading role again. Of course from now on he will have to discuss it with her right away when he wants to give her another part, whether it be a small or a big one. He can command everyone else into the role he sees fit for them, but previous attempts to do the same with her turned out to be very unpleasant- for him, mostly. He is glad, however, that she decided to give her singing career another chance and officially become the Leading Lady for Soprano.

After that they had a light dinner, Kathrine could convince him to accompany her behind the Opera house for a little walk along the lake. The darkness permitted them both to move without having to watch out if somebody might spot them. Even though the only people that would actually come to the lake at this time know of his humanity by now, the years he had to spend in hiding did leave their marks on him. It took his full willpower to allow himself to relax at least a little while being so openly exposed to the world. Sure, he went on walks before Kathrine entered his life, but he never came close to places where anyone walking by could simply see him. He walked through the forest, or small alleys where the darkness protected him. Not only because he had to but because he felt more comfortable like that. The darkness was his alley in a world that left him completely without friends. Erik must say that he enjoys Kathrine's company far more than being chained to the darkness all the time.

The moment Erik hears someone approaching though, he pulls Kathrine into the darkness to hide with her behind a tree, shielding her body with his own. Two people are walking towards them slowly, two men. Maybe people that work at the Opera, maybe beggars looking for a place to sleep without having to fear for police casting them away. Erik's mind abruptly switches to his own personal survival-mode that was branded into it. The darkness will hide them and the trees cover them. They won't be noticed.

A hand on his chest suddenly almost has him jumping. Only then he notices how tensed he is and into what position he has brought them. Kathrine's body is captured between his body and the tree, quite tightly so. He can feel her chest moving against his as she inhales and exhales calmly. One of his arms is leaning right next to her head against the tree, his other hand is covering her mouth to urge her to be silent. Her eyes flutter almost all the way close as she looks up at him through her lashes, even with the glove between them he can feel her opening her mouth enough for her tongue to slip past her lips and draw a slow circle on his palm. His eyes are focused on the back of his hand as if he could see right through it and watch her tongue moving. Slowly he allows his hand to slide down until only two of his fingers are still on her bottom lip. He can hear the voices moving closer but his eyes are still locked on Kathrine's lips. They are… edging closer. His eyes narrow in interest as he watches them form into a smile while her fingers curl into his cravat and pull his face closer to hers. He looks to the side, he can already see the two men coming closer. If they don't move they will be completely invisible to them-

'' Relax…'' She whispers right before letting their lips meet. Kathrine slowly takes each of his hands into hers to pull the gloves off them but he barely feels the cold air on them. All he can focus on is how hot Kathrine's skin feels as she puts one of his hands on the side of her throat and the other between her jacket and her back. His fingers itch to push themselves under her shirt and allow skin to skin contact. As if she could hear his thoughts, the moment she takes her hand off his she pulls her shirt up until his hand lies on her bare skin. He feels intoxicated. The danger of being caught as the footsteps grow louder, the passion radiating between them, the warmth they are sharing.

He is too old for these things and yet he is captured in the rush of her skin under his fingertips. And her lips moving so urgently against his, while the voices of whoever decided to also take this path, fade away. Erik's thump begins to glide up and down to caress her skin. He touched her bare back before as they kissed and yet this feels different. It's dangerously nagging at his will to listen to his own rules and resist his little temptress any longer…

* * *

As she hears that the two men left, Kat breaks the kiss and slips from her position to offer her Phantom some space. He reacted better to the bit making out than she thought. He didn't even make a fuss as she pulled her shirt up so that his hand was on her skin. Quite the opposite to what she was expecting, he was going with it.

But before she has the chance to take more than a step away from him, he suddenly pushes her back into the tree. The gasp didn't even come up half of her lungs as he already crashes his mouth to hers. His hands are on her shoulders to keep her in place as his tongue enters her mouth without a hint of hesitation.

'' Erik- '' Kat tries to break the kiss again but then one of his hands takes a hold of her jaw to keep her right where she is. He's like that again, the same way he was on the couch where they ended up dry humping until he broke out of it. She went with it then but it's not going to be that way now too because he'll only feel bad after it. So she puts her hands on his upper arms in the attempt to gently push him off,

'' Erik wait- '' His other hand moves from her shoulder too to take its previous position again. Except now he's pushing his hand up until he meets the edge of her bra and wraps his whole arm around her waist to pull her flush against him _._ Suddenly he growls,

'' _Be quiet_. '' His fingers dig into her side and her legs give out,

'' Yes Sir….'' There's far less sarcasm and much more gasp in her voice than was intended and he shudders against her before pulling her even closer. So she was right in her first guess, he wants to dominate her. Oh he can do _that_ all he wants. Her fingers itch to palm his bulge but she doesn't want this to end just now- screw it. It's not her damn responsibility to stop him, he's not really in trance. Just horny. So instead she puts her hands over her head before re-thinking and placing them on his throat. Skin on skin and completely submissive. Despite the warning in her head she lifts one of her legs to hook it around his waist, pulling his hard cock right against her and _bless_ those thin pants. His tongue stops completely ravishing her mouth on that as he moans before the hand on her jaw suddenly moves under her thigh to lift her other leg off the ground too, his hand kneading her flesh through her own rather thin sweatpants. No longer capable to keep her hands still she quickly wraps them around his neck before they can move elsewhere.

Kat can't say how much longer he's snogging her senseless but as he pulls back they're both panting.

'' Let's do that again. '' She says as soon as she has enough air in her lungs to speak. He nods, his eyes opening to look at her. Even in the darkness she can say his pupils are blown and his voice is literally giving her ovaries an orgasm,

'' I can agree to that. ''

* * *

Erik leaves for a while around noon the next day. They didn't talk much about their small encounter in the forest but it wasn't an awkward atmosphere either. It's stupid but Kat wants to talk about it. The thought to go to Meg played in her mind several times but the poor girl would probably explode if Kat talks 21st century to her. Still she really wants to. Either that or jump around and giggle and smile to herself like an idiot because the Phantom of the Opera, the same man that never showed any interest in anyone before and is respected and feared by so many people crashed her into a tree yesterday and snogged her into oblivion. And she feels proud and she feels silly and she just wants to talk about it how stupid it is because telling herself so over and over in her mind doesn't give her the satisfaction that she needs. Why did nobody ever tell her that being in love can actually be so flawed, so dangerous and so _bloody_ wonderful? This domestic little relationship they have going here is calling up sides in her that scare her and for the first time she loves that fear. The thought of seeing Erik each morning for maybe even a really long while isn't bringing up any disgust, it makes her smile and it's so stupid how much she enjoys eating breakfast with that screwed up man. She never sat in complete silence with someone on the couch simply to cuddle or stare into some goddamn fire.

And every day she's just growing more and more excited for their trip to England because she wants her mom to meet him and she wants him to meet her friends and finally feel welcome somewhere. Because she just knows her friends will like him and his politeness and his charm and his bloody childish curiosity for everything that includes her and the things in her world. And _man_ how she wants to see the expression on the face of Doctor Bloomfield when she tells him that she became domestic in 19th century France with a man and has a steady job as an Opera singer! And it's embarrassing how much she loves him and how she's going on and on about it in her head but for the first time in her life she's just so happy that she can't believe it.

Her mental state always made her vulnerable, so she clung to every bit of power she could find and now she's just so ready to put her broken soul into his care because he will save her from completely falling apart. They will keep each other together and it won't cure them, there will be painful moments that might even threaten to destroy this. But they will work it out and it will turn all the lights on and maybe this light will cast away the most brutal demons living inside her. Maybe she doesn't have to be that haunted house that breaks whoever tries to come close to her. Maybe there's room for him to move in without her ghosts killing him in his sleep. It's stupid and naive and maybe it is bound to fail but it is the most wonderful thing that has happened to her and she will not let go of that for as long as her broken hands still have enough life in them to hold on to it.

* * *

The moment Erik returns through the door in the mirror, he sees Kathrine walking up to him,

'' I got somethin' for you. '' She announces before he has the time to greet her. His eyebrow rises as her lips turn into an excited, almost proud grin,

''… And what would that be? ''

'' Well as we both know I'm _completely_ incapable to cook, pretty much too lazy to clean and the only stitching I can do is people -which leaves me pretty useless around here. _Buuut_ … I can do something else. And you're just gonna love that. '' Curious Erik follows behind her as she signals him to do so until they stand in the bedroom. Kathrine points to the bed, '' Okay, the shirt comes off and then you have to lie down on your front. ''

'' Why? '' She rolls her eyes at him,

'' Can your voice get _any_ thicker with suspicion? Seriously, don't kill my buzz or I throw something at you. C'mon, move it cupcake. Hopp hopp. '' Even though he wants to resist further and demand an answer, he chooses to bite his tongue and just do what she commands. There are too many breakable, very precious objects in her reach than to risk an argument right now. Though he does hesitate in baring his upper body to her. The last time he did that she began to cry from the sight of his scars and he will do everything in his power to never have her cry again. Whatever it takes, he will never let any harm come to his little hurricane.

As soon as he followed her instructions and lies on the bed with his face towards the pillow he can feel her climbing onto the mattress next to him. He shudders as her fingers suddenly run over one of his larger scars. Her touch is gentle but he cannot say that he enjoys to not know of her intentions and have her step this clearly over his 'comfort-zone'.

'' Kathrine, what are you- ''

'' I know this is hard for you but try to close your eyes and relax. '' He feels her hands suddenly urging his arms forwards until he has them crossed in front of him so that he can lay his forehead on them. Tenderly she allows her hands to slide along his arms to the middle of his back where she lifts them off his body again. He hears something what sounds like a small bottle popping open and moments later her hands place in the middle of his lower back. With uninterrupted movements Kathrine's hands glide up his back and move along his shoulders before returning to his lowers back. Her hands feel slickly, he can smell the sweet scent of strawberries. It must be some kind of oil that she's rubbing into his skin that becomes warmer the longer she rubs it into his skin. She repeats that movement a few times before adding more pressure. They stay in silence for a while and Erik actually feels himself relaxing under her hands. The pressure is just right and her fingers magically seem to find the exact spot they need to loosen a knot.

'' I noticed how you sometimes roll your shoulders unintentionally, you're pretty tensed…'' She mumbles while putting her focus to his shoulders and neck now. He grimaces as the pressure becomes uncomfortable and her fingers dig into the knots that he now can feel very clearly. The uncomfortable pressure fades soon enough as his tensed muscles finally loosen up and Kathrine works out every single knot. He cannot remember the last time he has felt this relaxed, if he ever did at all that means.

* * *

To say that he is surprised as he wakes up and finds Kathrine already out of bed would be an understatement. He can not remember a single time she ever woke around the same time he did, let alone before him. He fell asleep while Kathrine gave him the massage, it was just too tempting to resist. He rolls his shoulders and realizes that his muscles are even more relaxed than they were yesterday. He never realized that he was tensed at all, not like this at least. He knew his muscles where strained most of the time but now that Kathrine has done her wonder on him, he realizes that there have been knots.

Absently rubbing his shoulder, he walks into the living room in the intention to find

'' Mon ange? ''

'' Bathroom! '' He barely stops at her voice, the curtain is pushed aside and the smell of shampoo reaches his nose. So she woke up and took a bath. Maybe they can have breakfast earlier than usual, he could sneak up into the kitchen and get them both bread. Madam got the habit to prepare a small basket with fresh bred and put it close to the entrance to the tunnel each morning since he first asked her about it right after Kathrine spend her first night with him.

'' Kathrine I was wondering if you- '' He breaks off and freezes as he spots Kathrine not near the tub but inside of it, the only thing covering her naked body are bubbles. Bubbles that could very easily pop.

'' Yes? '' She asks after starring at him visibly amused. He clears his throat, his eyes abruptly closing,

'' My apologies, I did not know that you are taking a bath. ''

'' No, 's fine, you can stay. ''

'' That would be highly inappropriate. ''

'' Poppycock, c'mon sit down next to me. '' His eyes abruptly shift their focus to the ground as Kathrine leans out of the tub to put one of her towels on the ground. Erik thinks about simply turning but he is actually a little worried that she might just step out and haul him back if he tries to disobey her stubborn persistence. Of course, to people in her world it must be completely normal to be in the same room if one is taking a bath. After all they are engaged to each other. As soon as he sits next to the tub on the ground she seems satisfied and titles her head that lies by now on her arms which are crossed on the edge of the tub,

'' How you feelin'? All good with the back? ''

'' Indeed. I cannot remember if I ever felt this relaxed before in my life. Thank you, that was wonderful. '' She smiles released and leans then back against the tube,

'' Okay good. Yesterday I thought I might have hurt a nerve, that would be a pain in the ass for you now. Last time that happened my mom almost killed me and her Ex would have if he could have moved. '' Her smile gets a guilty edge as she shrugs her shoulders. Erik stares at her, he was not aware of the fact that something like this can happen and he is quite glad that she didn't cripple him in any way.

Without meaning to his eyes move to the water as he sees one of the bubbles popping. He feels like biting his tongue. He just woke up, this is not the kind of stress he should be facing just now. Kathrine angles one of her legs what causes her knee to come out of the sea of bubbles. He watches the foam flowing down her skin for a moment before forcing his eyes to move back to hers. Kathrine's barely capable to stop herself from laughing. He gives her the most scolding glare he can,

'' Kathrine it is too early for your games. ''

'' I'm not doing anything, you're doing this to yourself. ''

'' You told me to sit down. '' She titles her head, a laugh passing her lips,

'' So, why do you listen? I'm not your mom. If you want to go, stand up and go. '' His gaze shifts from her face to her knee and back several times and her smile changes into a teasing grin. Kathrine is playing with him and it seems that she decided to play dirty from now on. Did she plan for him to walk in while she is in that position? Even for her that does seem like an unfair attempt at getting what she wants. He can never calculate her next step and each time he is sure he knows what will come next, she suddenly does something entirely else and throws him off again. Just like right now. What is going on in her head?

'' Except you rather stay here. I'm not going to touch you, don't worry. '' She closes her eyes with a cheeky grin, her other knee now coming out of the water too, her legs spread. It is almost like she is inviting him to touch her, which she probably is. Usually she was the one starting their little… things. He always ended them but he never started anything. Is that her intention? That he touches her without her having to encourage him?

* * *

The daring smirk turns into one of triumph as Erik places his hand on the knee close to him.

 _Gotcha…!_

Up until now he never had to take responsibility for anything that happened between them, she was always the one starting everything. He could lean back into that. But not any longer. She didn't tell him to put his hand on her knee and she never motioned him to slide his hand down her inner thigh slowly. Whatever he chooses to do he can't blame on her. To that comes that she got curious since he pushed her into that tree and made her subdue to him. Was that a thing happening in the heat of the moment or is he really into that?

It would make sense. After being abused for so long and never really experiencing anything gentle it's only logical to feel the need to be the Alpha. Knowing that you are in full control of the situation gives you a rush that can make you addicted so easily that it's laughable. And that rush is only increases if you control another person. It's sick and it's dangerous but that's what's making it so attractive.

Kat never let anyone dominate her before so she's stepping into new water with that, but trying it with Erik doesn't bother her, she's actually quite curios about it. The 'Yes Sir' passed her lips on its own and it felt surprisingly good. If that's his tendency, she'll be happy to obey and become his Sub. Of course there will be rules and she should talk to him about that before. To properly explain this thing to him. Sure, there are Dom and Sub relationships here in his world too but considering how he reacts, Kat is pretty sure that he is not really familiar with all that.

A sigh of content passes her lips as he comes closer to her lap, now it's really about to get interesting…

* * *

His eyes move to Kathrine's face as he palms her hot womanhood gently, barely really touching her. Kathrine's expression remains the same, giving him neither encouragement nor discomfort. Slowly he allows his middle finger to slip past her lips and the first thing he notices is how warm she feels. Warm and soft. Erik soon feels her entrance, right above it the small pearl covered by a thin layer of skin. As he rubs his finger over it Kathrine flinches and he instantly takes his hand back,

'' I'm sorry, did I hurt you? '' She bites the ring in her lip as she shakes her head,

'' No…'' She gasps the next time he drags his finger over her entrance before rubbing the bud again. As he begins draw circles with his finger over the small pearl with only little pressure, Kathrine's head titles down while she bites her lip. Her face is twisted but it doesn't seem as if what he's doing feels unpleasant to her.

 _Theoretically_ he know exactly what he is doing. _Doing it_ though, is something entirely different, so instead of listening to his theoretical knowledge, he will listen to what Kathrine's body is telling him. She is an instrument he has never played before, but by the music she makes he can learn to play her the right way. As he uses a little more speed and pressure, her hands grasp his arm and her fingers dig into his skin. Kathrine's eyes are closed, her cheeks flushed with a crimson color and her lips slightly parted as her breathing becomes quicker.

Erik's eyes narrow as his name passes her lips in a gentle moan the first time. The sight of this beautiful woman clinging almost desperately to his arm while he can feel her womanhood pulsing against his fingers is arousing and he wants to see more of it. He wants to hear more of that sweet music she is playing just for him. With somewhat sick satisfaction Erik watches his beloved Diva whimpering in protest as he dares to stop moving his finger. Kathrine pushes her hip up, silently urging him to continue but Erik won't budge.

'' I am causing you pleasure, am I not, Kathrine? '' He allows his pointing finger to enter her and Kathrine's response is a hissed moan,

'' Yes…! '' The teasing tone completely left her voice. Kathrine's control over the situation begins to slip from her hands and Erik is gladly taking it. She started this because she felt so very sure of herself, so very in control. She lured him into the bathroom with the intention to cause a reaction of him that is in her favor. But she is not in charge of this anymore and he loves the sudden feeling of power as he realizes that she needs him to reach her climax. If he decides to take his hand back, she will not finish. It truly is a sweet power.

'' Was that what you wanted to happen as you lured me in here? '' Her legs close around his arm as he slips in another finger and pushes in an out at a steady pace. Kathrine's breathing is heavy and she swallows before meeting his eye,

'' Well I… I didn't-didn't think you'd… actually go through with it- '' She grits her teeth as Erik adds his thump to rub that sensitive bud in circling movements again. He can feel her muscles clenching as he pushes his fingers a little quicker in and out her entrance.

Kathrine moans his name again and presses her forehead against his arm. Erik shivers, he feels his own sex responding to the heat of the moment. He is close to her throat and suddenly remembers how he bent down to kiss her there as he helped her out of the corset. He fled from her then, fear of rejection and shame too deeply buried in his bones to actually allow himself to act through his impulse. And now here he is and this time his fears will not stop him from tasting her skin. He is not worthy of her, he knew and accepted that very soon. But if she enjoys his touch, if she writhes in pleasure and moans his name, how could he stop? Would denying her that pleasure not be an even greater sin than touching her?

Erik titles his head down to nibble on her throat and suddenly Kathrine's body tenses. Erik feels her walls tighten around his fingers right before Kathrine releases a raspy scream. He allows his finger to move in her for another moment, grants himself the pleasure to let his lips devour her just another second longer before slowly pulling back. Kathrine collapses into the tub with a pleased smile on her lips,

'' Never stop training those fingers Master. '' Erik chuckles but abruptly becomes quiet as he realizes that most of the bubbles popped and her body is almost entirely visible. Being too focused on her facial expression, he completely missed that detail. Quickly he takes his arm back and stands up,

'' I will leave you to your bath. ''

'' Wait! '' He stops as he hears her standing up, the water splashing and his heart racing even faster all at the same moment,

'' Come back…'' Her voice is soft, almost pleading. How could he ever refuse her anything she asks of him? Even though everything in him tells him to go, he turns around and finds her standing in the tub. He keeps his eyes locked with hers but he can still see her naked body. Slowly she steps out of the water and closes the distance between them,

'' Let me return the favor. '' She takes his larger hand into hers and leads him back to the tub where she gently urges him to sit down on the edge. He should stop her. She should not kneel down before him. No. No she should not be doing this. Before she can reach for him, Erik takes her hands in his to stop her,

'' You don't need to…'' He trails off. What exactly? Kneel? Pleasure him? Touch him? All of that, maybe? To have that power over her was arousing, to know he was the reason for her climax intoxicating. The scent of her arousal, the taste of her skin, the sound of her voice whispering his name. Kathrine is an angel, marvelous and beautiful. She deserves to be cherished and touched and caressed exactly the way she wants _and_ needs it. But she should not be the one to do that. He is nothing more but a beast unworthy to stand in her shadow. She should not kneel before him with the intention to touch him. She should never have touched him at all. And yet Kathrine smiles, warm and gentle and loving,

'' I want to though. '' His eyes widen as she frees him from his far too tight pants, her hand carefully wrapping around him.

* * *

Kat realizes another stupid thing as she glances up at him. How much she loves making him feel good. Any previous sexual partners where there to satisfy _her_. She made sure they enjoyed themselves, sure, but most of the time the point behind those one night stands where to put off stress, to have one or more orgasms and leave. Not so with Erik. Whether it be the massage, the gestures of affection or this right now. It's stupid but it makes her happy to make him feel good. It's embarrassing how devoted she is to him.

'' Just relax…'' She murmurs and focused back on his hard cock in her hand. She guessed right, he's got a nice size. Erik's hands cling to the edges of the tub as soon as she starts to move her hand up and down his shaft. If this already causes such an intense reaction from him, she maybe shouldn't take him into her mouth right now. Instead she tenderly slides her thump over his tip and enjoys hearing Erik moan her name. His voice has a rougher sound to it, another thing she enjoys far too much. Out of the corners of her eyes she can see his hand making a move towards her before it goes back to clinging to the tub. She can see his knuckles turning white as she blows some cold air against his tip. A louder moan rumbles from his chest as she licks along his length and circles his tip,

'' Kath… Kathrine…- '' She hums full-well knowing that it'll send vibrations through his whole cock. Erik shakes but once more attempts to speak,

'' N-not with your m-mouth- '' Kat doesn't give him the time to finish that sentence before swallowing him halfway and taking the rest bit by bit until her nose touches the dark blonde hair on his skin. Suddenly Erik grabs a fistful of her hair tightly and her gasp sends more vibration through him. Erik's cock is twitching in her mouth, alerting her that he's close. It only takes her fingers fondling his balls to push him over the edge. Kat pulls back a tad and pumps him through his orgasm, patiently swallowing every bit of his cum that's dripping down her throat.

As soon as Erik is finished, she pulls back to look up at him. His forehead is covered in small pearls of sweat and his eyes are dark with lust as they're starring down at her.

* * *

As his body goes limp, Erik allows himself to slide into the warm water, completely careless that he is still dressed. Kathrine abruptly follows him, her naked body elegantly crawling over the edge of the tub and right into his lap. Soon she is sprawled out on top of him with both her legs laying over one side of his legs and she begins to gently kiss his throat. To his surprise it does not excite him any further, much more it helps his racing pulse to calm down again. Her lips caress his skin so very lovingly that he allows his head to simply drop forwards until his forehead rests on her shoulder. Erik wraps his arms around her naked body and pulls her into a soft embrace, his lips pressing a single loving kiss to her shoulder,

'' I love you. '' He can feel her lips turning into a smile before she kisses his deformed temple.

* * *

Despite their well-developing relationship, Kat's a tad frustrated. Because it's been 3 days since they made each other cum in the bathroom, and Erik's been avoiding her like she was intelligence and he Donald Trump. They fell asleep in the bed together but in the morning she woke up with breakfast ready and a note telling her that he's been absent from his duties for too long and has to take care of _many_ thing. He came back late and turned her down as she asked him if he'd go take another walk with her. He slept on the couch that night to _'finish his book_ '. As much as Kat believes that the Lexicon he quickly grabbed as she walked into the room must have _the_ plot-twist of the century, his excuse was a tad silly.

The day after that pretty much went the same as the day before. After he avoided her attempt to talk about this like the adult _she_ is and the stubborn arse _he_ is, she's pretty much had it and left. Kat slept in Meg's room that night- who of course did _not_ hear the whole dirty story, only a brief explanation. Seeing Meg, and of course Madam Giry again felt really good. She ate with them, she could talk to them about silly stuff, it was relaxing. A real girls night.

Kat went back down to Erik around noon the next day and he _still_ chooses to ignore her. This time he's composing. Really, as if he didn't compose enough in his life already. Now, he surely didn't have enough of a relationship in his life, so he really should start to check his priorities. It's really taking all of her control to _not_ smack him stupid with that bloody lexicon he surely 'finished' by now. With an angry snort she stops next to him,

'' Erik stop avoiding me and talk to me! ''

'' Don't be silly Kathrine, I have not been avoiding you. ''

'' Yeah? How did the Lexicon end? '' He opens his mouth but realizes then what he was about to answer to and shuts it again. And she swears to every god of every religion that if he re-considers England, she will knock him out, dress him up as Osama Bin Laden and tie him to some lantern in the middle of New York! See how his bloody lexicon will help him then!

 _I'm jealous of a book, how deep have I fallen._

'' Kathrine- ''

'' Don't _Kathrine_ me! You flipped my bean, I sucked you off, what's the big deal?! ''

'' Do refrain from that ill language. ''

'' _Oh_ so we're back to being adults now? Because, you know, from what I got about this whole thing right now is that one of the perks about being with an adult is that you can talk shit out! ''

'' There is nothing we need to discuss. '' She grits her teeth. He walks past her but she catches up with him in the bedroom and stops him by pushing him back hard,

'' Stop walking away from me! ''

'' What you're doing is extremely dangerous Kathrine. '' He warns, his voice sharp and it's commanding her to step aside and just leave him be. She'll be damned if she did that! Kat has had it! The lies and the fuss ends right now!

'' Just be honest with me then! ''

'' I have no idea what you are talking about. '' She pushes him again,

'' You want to pound me into the mattress and the reason for you to stop when it's about to really start all the time is not because you want to _edge_ _closer_. You just don't like it how much it turns you on to _dominate_ me. '' He stops in another attempt to walk past her. She finally got his attention. That was a shot in the dark actually but hey, you take what you get. On the stage he wasn't only that hot because she was wearing so little or because she sung so perfectly, he loved her obedience to follow his orders.

'' _I_ hurt people because I like being superior, because my illness makes me weak and defenseless. You though- ''

'' Kathrine, stop. '' He cuts her off but she shakes her head,

'' You get _hard_ at the thought of _chocking_ _me_. You want to leave bruises on me that people can _see_. You want to hurt me until I completely _subdue_ to you! And you _hate_ _yourself_ for that because you think it makes you even more of a monster! ''

'' Last warning Kathrine. '' His voice is tight. Oh she's going way too far.

'' Sure, you like to cuddle and you need the whispering and the love but to _really get off_ , you want to hold me down and fuck me until you can _see_ that you're the _only_ thing on my mind. You want me to yell at you that you _own_ me! You _need_ to control me because you just can't accept that I am with you because I _want_ \- '' Suddenly Erik grabs her on her shoulders and crashes her into the nearest wall with enough force to knock some air out of her lungs. His face is only millimeters away from hers and his teeth are grit in raw anger. Kat almost winces as his fingers dig painfully hard into her arms,

'' I told you to _stop_! '' She looks at him for a while, looks into his rage-filled eyes, watches how his chest rises and falls quickly as he almost growls at her. Kat is sure that he can make people cry with that look. It's having a _whole_ different effect on her. She swallows,

'' See. '' Slowly he looks down at them and as quickly as he grabbed her, he releases her again. He steps back, frustration drowning the rage,

'' Can't you see that I'm trying to protect you! ''

'' And could _you_ finally realize that I don't need to be protected?! You saw what I am capable of, you know I can defend myself if its necessary! But it won't be because _I want this_! ''

'' You are too young to know what you want. '' Kat really feels like throwing something now. Just because he's 15-or-something years older doesn't mean he can treat her like a child!

'' _I want_ you to fuck me until I forget my name! _I want_ your bruises, I want to wear them like a _badge of_ _honor_. I want you to stop thinking that you're too disgusting or too dangerous to be with me! And I _want_ _you_ to _finally_ accept that I love you _exactly the way you are_! And that all the bloody things you do to ' _protect me'_ hurt me more than your preferences _ever_ would! '' Silence falls over them. Erik grew deadly still and Kat knows that look. He'll run out. And if he runs out she'll go back to Meg and they probably end up not talking to each other for days. And then she'll go back to him. Or he comes and takes her back, depends. It's gonna be a long, tiring process.

Except that he doesn't run from her this time.

Suddenly he's back in front of her and her back collides with that wall again the same moment his lips crash to hers. His hands are under her ass to urge her to wrap her legs around his waist before she has time to kiss him back. Kat crosses her arms behind his neck, her fingers running through his thin hair, her nails softly scraping over his scalp. She lets him control the kiss as his tongue slips into her mouth to find hers. Blindly he walks to the bed to drop her on it but she pulls him along so that he swiftly lands on top of her. They work him out of his shirt together, only breaking their kiss to pull it over his head and toss it aside. Kat's not careful this time as she touches him. She runs her fingers all over his upper body while they kiss, her fingers digging slightly into his skin every time she feels a scar. His muscles are flexing under her palms, tensing, loosening, moving. He's eager and he's clumsy but he remembers things he picked up in their previous encounters. His arms are at each side of her head to support himself above her but his body is flush against hers so that she can feel him growing harder with each second.

Kat whimpers as he breaks their kiss to move his lips to her neck. At first he presses small kisses to her skin, his tongue licking over her wildly beating pulse as if he wanted to lick something off her. Suddenly he bites and she's sure she can feel her skin breaking. As she shrieks from both the shock and the sudden pain he abruptly leans up, his eyes wide as if she scared him. She shakes her head soothingly and sits up too, pulling off her shirt in that motion. His eyes drink in her body but stop at her neck as she reveals it more to him,

'' Go on. '' His eyes move to the bite. She brushes her finger over the mark, he did break her skin. She's bleeding. It burns but oddly enough it's not ruining her mood. The opposite even. Kat quickly takes one of Erik's hands and leads it into her knickers where she urges him to feel how wet she is,

'' I get off on it too. It's okay, just let go…'' Slowly the hand in her knickers starts moving and just as he leans back down to nibble on her skin gently this time, he pushes a finger into her entrance. She gasps. As Kat rocks her hips down on his finger, Erik growls against her collarbone- almost as if he's warning her. Kat's not sure if he wants her to hold still or if he's just back in that rush but she forces herself to stop the motion and let him control the situation.

But as she looks down at him Kat sees that his eyes are closed in pleasure while his nose brushes along her breasts. He shifts to his knees so that he can run his fingers along her bra gently. The dominance apparently completely vanished. Softly she scrapes her nails along his upper arms to lead them behind her back. She barely flinches as his finger slips out of her to follow her lead. She helps him unhook her bra but leaves it to him to slowly take it off. His mood-swings are extremely dangerous and it's impossible to calculate when he will go back to hurting her in another wave of dominance. He would probably scare the hell out of her if she was a virgin too. You really wouldn't want that for your first time. Right now it's only exciting her. The unknown. The tenderness right after the inflected pain almost feels like the rush she has when she's fighting. Like Heroin flowing through her veins. No matter who she slept with, she always knew what comes next because she was always in control. Not so right now. It's truly arousing.

Kat whispers his name as he cups one of her breasts, his full attention now on them. She watches as he leans down to kiss them gently. The moment he finds interest in one of her nipples he wraps his lips around it and sucks, his tongue moving around the part that's in his mouth. As Erik begins to nibble on her nipple gently, Kat's back arches on its own and a long, loud moan comes from her lips. Whatever nerve he's hitting there, it's amazing. Breathing heavily now, Kat runs her fingers through his hair and massages his scalp.

'' Erik…'' He looks up at her as she cups his cheeks and allows her to pull him back up to her. Their lips meet in a loving kiss. He leans down on her and winces as his crotch rubs over her thigh invitingly. Slowly she palms the bulge in his pants, gives him the chance to stop her. But he doesn't. He's starring into her eyes as she begins to take his pants off. His eyes are dark and his face is so close to hers that she can feel his hot breathe on her lips. After shrugging out of her own pants she cups his cheeks again to pull him into another kiss. He tastes like that Turkish tea he always drinks and like wine.

As soon as he's completely out of his pants, Erik kneels before her again, his eyes trained on her lap. His eyes are clouded with lust but there's an adorable glimmer of interest in them. With a small smirk she lifts her legs and spreads them. As if serving herself on a silver tray for him. Erik's fingers trace along her inner thighs slowly,

'' Your skin is so soft…'' He mutters but never looks up at her. While that he gently lays his other hand on her thigh to support her leg. As he reaches her pussy, he palms it tenderly. In the water he couldn't properly feel her, only that she was warm and that he could feel her pulse as she was more aroused. Now he can feel how hot she really is and how wet she became for him. His eyes almost close in a lustful haze as he leans closer, lured by the scent. Kat pulls on the ring in her lip, waiting for him to make his next move. Everything in Kat aches to push her hip up and closer to his face but she resists. Finally he pushes a finger into her until she feels his knuckles brushing her clit. Erik is twisting and turning his finger in her, moving it along her walls as if he wants to find out what her inside looks like. As he crooks his finger inside her suddenly her back arches in a sudden jolt of pleasure. This time he's not flinching back at her gasped moan. He repeats the motion, brushing the same spot over and over again and watches her writhe on the bed.

She whimpers in protest as Erik then pulls his finger out of her right as she was about to hit the edge, but with her legs still in the air she can't try to follow him. Heavily panting she watches how Erik examines her natural lube on his fingers curiously.

'' Why does it smell… so appealing? '' Kat bites back the moan that threatens to escape her. She leans up on her elbows and closes her eyes in the attempt to focus enough to form a normal sentence,

'' I… couldn't explain…''

''…May I…? '' He whispers while inching his face slowly closer to her now almost dripping wet pussy. Kat bites her lip and nods but he doesn't see that, Erik's full focus is on her lap and it's almost enough to make her cum right then and there,

'' _Yes_ …'' Kat collapses back into the mattress with a long-stretched moan as Erik licks along her entrance slowly. Her fingers abruplty tangle in his hair to keep him there and maybe even just to hold on to him in a way while the fingers of her other hand claw into the sheets helplessly. Erik's tongue is clumsy as it explores her, it gives the least attention to the places she needs it the most. But he learns from her reactions. It only takes him a few moments before he realizes where he needs to lick to make her squirm and gasp and completely loose herself in the ecstasy. As she buckles her hips, Erik wraps his arms around her legs and places his hands on each her hipbones. No matter how hard Kat's squirming, her hips don't move a bit. But her back still arches and she's still moaning,

'' Erik- Yes! So close…! Just a little more…- '' He hums to let her know he understood and she cries out as her orgasm sends flashes of sweet electricity through her whole body. She feels her body twitching for a minute, this was intense. Very much so. Erik is a fast learner and he is completely capable to turn her brain into a hazy mess. As if he's secretly slipped her alcohol.

Kat quickly cups his cheeks when she's calmed down to pull him into another passionate kiss. Her body is still shaking a little from the aftereffect beneath him but his strong body is perfectly holding her down. She can taste herself on his tongue. This was definitely worth the wait. But it the real party is just about to begin. Erik may now know how to play her like a violet, but Kat knows how to get him into the same state. And rubbing her hip against his hard cock abruptly has him moaning into the kiss,

'' _Kathrine_ \- '' His eyes are closed tightly. She nods and kisses his temple soothingly,

'' It's okay Erik, push in, take me. I need you… _Please Master_ …'' He groans into her ear and leans back. Kat almost cries out as he thrusts into her all the way without another hint of hesitation. Her muscles clench around him and he groans right into her ear, ripping a moan from her mouth. She's still so sensitive from her last orgasm, it makes the new added pleasure almost painful. It's a bittersweet feeling you just can't endure but once its gone you crave for it.

Instead of wrapping her legs around his waist, she leaves them at each side of his hips to allow him to continue however he wants to. He's shaking a bit, overwhelmed by the new sensation. Kat coos in his shoulder, her hands rubbing along his arms to help him cope. She can't even imagine how intense this must be for him right now. He wanted her for a while now and he was probably doing himself before as well. That's a lot of wanting but never receiving for decades.

Erik's face is buried in her neck as he slowly adjusts to the feeling of being inside her. He's panting into her neck and each time her hands change their position he shudders. Suddenly he bites down again, his hands tightly grasping her arms- probably to stop himself from abruptly coming. This time it's her turn to shudder as he mumbles into her ear, his voice raspy,

'' _You are so tight… so hot… so wet_ …'' She nods and runs her fingers through his hair softly while putting her other hand on his hip right before her leg. Perhaps she should say something that makes sense but she's captured. Completely high on the rush of him deeply buried inside of her while his teeth inflict more of that wonderful intoxicating pain. Kat tries to tell him how he makes her feel right now but her head can't form any proper words, her tongue is too heavy and all that escapes her lips are sounds of pleasure and need. God, she needs him to move right now.

'' Yes… Erik… good…'' She pushes her hips up what abruptly causes him to react. At first slowly then with more force and speed he thrusts into her. With each thrust he pulls out almost all the way before pushing himself balls deep into her. They moan each other's names, Erik growls and mutters words of love and possession into her ear. He takes her hands in his and presses them into the mattress next to her head, his fingers entwined with hers.

'' My Kathrine… Mine…'' She nods and licks over his deformed cheekbone,

'' Yes, yours…'' And with that the next rush of dominance washes over him. This time Kat has time to notice it so she's not even flinching as he suddenly pushes her hands over her head and captures her wrists in one of his hands, while the other chokes her. Kat winces as his grip on her throat tightens and breathing becomes difficult. The lack of oxygen works like an aphrodisiac and suddenly his skin feels so much hotter on her than before. Kat looks at him through lidded eyes,

'' You wanna mark me? '' Erik looks into her eyes and she sees a flash of uncertainty in them. His blue eyes have a grayer shade by now, he's so far gone but this time in a good way. The uncertainty is not fear, he just needs her consent. She manages a smile in between her heat and leans up as good as she can to suck hard on the skin of his collarbone. With a pop she releases him and runs her tongue over the forming hickey,

'' That way you leave the bruises you want to see. Will you paint me, _Master?_ '' His grip on her wrists tightens but the pleasure overpowers every ounce of pain that could be caused. The feeling of his lips sucking on her throat, her stomach and her neck is overwhelming and she desperately needs him to fuck her harder. But he's lacking experience, which doesn't mean that he lacks talent though. Maybe it's the lack of oxygen and the pain that make her feel like this in combination with the pleasure but Kat didn't feel _this_ good while sex often. He won't last much longer though so they can't try out many other positions, she can already feel him pulsing in her. She might not cum with him inside her but that's okay. She just needs more of him right now. She frees her hands from his grip and pushes against his shoulders to urge him to lie down on his back,

'' Lie back…'' He slips out of her as he does what she asks of him. They both wince at that and she realizes that suddenly she feels really empty. She leads his hands onto her hips and gently guides his hard cock back into her waiting entrance. His eyes soon focus on her breasts as they begin to bounce while she rides him. His hands have a tight hold on her hips, he's controlling the pace. The sound of skin slapping on skin and their panting are the only noises around them. It only takes a few more thrusts before Erik's fingers suddenly dig deeply into her skin and she feels him coming in her.

She grits her teeth as his semen enters her, that's a new one. Usually a condom is her strict rule, she's not really getting off when the thought of catching some tripper is in her head. On the other hand, through the blowjob she already took the risk of catching whatever he could have, after all she was injured and had scratches inside her mouth and throat.

Erik completely stops under her as she rocks him through his orgasm while kissing the deformed part of his face. As soon as he's completely spent she halts, gives him time to adjust. His hands grabbed her shoulders as she leaned down and right now he's holding on to her tightly. Kat nuzzles his cheek gently. Erik's eyes open slowly and Kat smiles as he looks at her drowsily. Carefully she rolls off him to lie next to him and offer him the space he might need.

'' See, wasn't that horrible, was it? '' She asks after they lay in silence for a few moments. To her surprise he sits up to grasp the blanket and cover them with it. Then he pulls her into his arms, Kat can feel his heart still beating wildly in his chest. He nuzzles his nose into her hair,

'' …It was amazing. You are… the most beautiful being in the whole of creation. Thank you. '' She chuckles,

'' You don't have to thank me, cupcake. ''

'' I do. And I… think I should also apologize…'' Kat knows he's talking about the marks he left on her. Probably not even the hickey but the fingerprints he left on her throat, her sides and her arms. And the bite. Despite her urge to never leave hi arms and this bed again, she sits up and grins at him innocently,

'' Why, I'm sure they're pretty. '' She quickly stands up, excuses herself and goes to the bathroom. After cleaning herself up a little she looks into the mirror. The bite is… very much visible. You can clearly see that his teeth dug rather deep into her skin. Like an animal marking their mate. As flattering as that is, she has to take care of that because she really doesn't want to catch an infection in this country. But that has time until tomorrow. Right now Kat only cleans the bite a little to get the dried blood off and takes another look at the hickeys and the hand prints. They're literally everywhere. To be honest, she feels a little… possessed. And in a really sick way she likes it.

* * *

'' Yeah, I definitively like them. '' Kathrine declares as she returns to the bedroom. Her finger traces along his fingerprints on her hipbones as she flawlessly slides into the bed next to him to join him under the covers. His eyes follow her as she moves. Of course she did not even bother to put on any cloths and while he knows he shouldn't, he cannot deny that the thought to have her walk around bare all the time from now on crossed his mind. Nobody but him would see, just like it should be. Erik waited patiently for her to return, not willing to drift off without her besides him. Now that the adrenaline is fading he feels satisfied in a way he can not really describe. He speaks 3 languages fluently and 2 more rather correctly and yet he cannot find a single word to describe how he feels. Satisfied, that one he definitively is. The feeling of Kathrine's skin on his skin as they were one was incredible and it is dangerous because he is not sure if he will ever be able to behave decently around her from now on. He aches to take her in every room of their home. He wants her to sit on is organ and gasp his name as he thrusts into her. He wants her to tell him that she is his as he pleases her with his tongue, her hand in his hair and her back arching with the fire burning next to them. He wants to mark her in the bathroom as she watches them in the mirror. It is sick and so very seductive and he wants it all. And yet… should he really allow himself to have these thoughts?

'' You didn't reach your… climax… as we were one. '' Kathrine shrugs carelessly,

'' That's okay, really. We have plenty time to work on that. ''

'' It was not satisfying to you. Is… is my face the reason that you were not… able to finish? You were looking at me many times…'' She musters him for a while, her head slightly titled to the side. After a few seconds passed she licks her lips, a cheeky smile coming to them. Kathrine then climbs back into the bed next to him only to straddle his lap moments later and bring her lips closer to his slowly. Just as they're about to brush against each other she suddenly leans back and hits him hard with a pillow. He winces at the impact. When she lifts the pillow over her head he is met with her grinning down to him,

'' Stop worrying, you drama-queen. ''

* * *

As Kat wakes up on the next morning Erik is gone. The first few hours she waited for him to return patiently.

'' He'll come back… I know he will. He just needs time…''

* * *

But he never does. The day is almost over as she began to call out to him in the hope he might believe her. Or speak up.

'' Erik? Erik come out and talk to me! I don't know what's wrong but it's okay, just come out! '' She feels like she's calling for a scared puppy to come out. What is wrong? Everything was fine, wasn't it?

* * *

He never answers. Kat barely sleeps that night in the hope that he might return. The next day she thinks about going to Madam Giry and ask her about him. But what if he come back from wherever he was and finds her gone? What if he left because he needed to sort things out with himself and think that her being gone means she changed her mind? So she stays and waits.

As he doesn't come back that night she wants to cry. But she bites her tongue, maybe he just needs more time alone. Why should she cry now if he's back by the time she wakes up? She doesn't fall asleep before the 14 Valerian she took kick in.

* * *

On the next morning Erik's still gone and for a little while Kat just curls up under the blanket to cry. Something in her hopes that he might come back while she does, but of course that is stupid. On the other hand… many thoughts she had were pretty stupid… Maybe the one most stupid one was to think that only death will take her loved ones away from her… And that Erik might actually be the one that can protect her broken soul from any more damage.

Over the day she only becomes more and more angry. She was patient, she was reassuring, she understood, she accepted, she loved… But he still left. He left her just like that. Without a good-bye or any form of explanation. He left her like Kat left so many others in the past. But she keeps it down until the night where she falls asleep with the help of the last bit of Valium she had.

Only as she wakes up again to still find Erik gone she can't control the anger anymore until it quickly turns into rage and she starts yelling,

'' Come back and talk to me like a man you bloody coward! ''

* * *

As she remembers that the boat is supposed to come tomorrow the rage fades for a few seconds,

'' The boat's coming tomorrow. I can't miss that. It's okay if you don't want to come with me, but at least tell me so…'' She looks around. Waits for him to say anything or maybe come out of his hiding place. She waits for minutes on end, not moving from her spot, only looking around.

'' Erik please…'' More time passes without any movement from any direction and the rage comes back so quickly she almost starts screaming just to let it out in any way. It's the kind of pain that chokes you, the one that wraps a hand around your heart and squeezes. And like a parasite its spreading out and taking over her whole body. Until she finds another way to get rid of it.

For the next 20 minutes she gathers every painting of her, every piece of music about her, the doll and of course the wedding dress as well as the one he made for the masquerade ball and puts it on the ground close to the water. She pours the oil she has left over the items and lightens a cigarette. She only takes a couple of hits before flipping it on the pile. She sits down next to the fire and watches the flames destroying everything he ever made for or about her. After a while she glances down at her finger, the ring is the last thing left. She twists it around a couple of times. With the fire slowly going out the anger fades too and suddenly she feels more horrible than before. She wants to burn more. Burn everything. He would come back to his home destroyed. All he built up in his life would be taken from him. She wants to take everything from him. But she won't. Because she just wants him to come back and say he's sorry because that's all it would need for her to forgive him. She wants to turn around and find him standing behind her. 'Sorry'. That would be enough. But as she turns he's not behind her. There's no one saying 'sorry'. And she still doesn't burn this layer down. Because it would take the only thing he has from him and she can't do that. She loves him too much.

* * *

She doesn't sleep that night and in the morning she has her stuff packed. A traveling bag, a suitcase and her bag. She leaves the ring on the closed lid of his organ before she goes. Getting the things up the secret tunnel is a little complicated but she manages and she doesn't look back once. Because if she did she would cry and then she might just think about not taking the boat. To wait for him. But she's not that kind of person. She left more people than she can count, she laughed at people telling her that at some point she will fall for someone. She's not the type to wait and wail for the loved one. He left her and she won't sit on his bed and start knitting.

So Kat gets her stuff in front of the Opera and waits for her carriage to come. Sure, the first few weeks will be tough but she will get over that and while she goes out with friends or picks up a stranger in a bar, Erik will hate himself more that he did before. She will be doing fine again and he will be stuck in his lonely misery.

* * *

Antoinette and Meg make their way to the entrance a little before Kathrine's and Erik's carriage is supposed to be arriving. Antoinette was surprised to find Kathrine in the room of her daughter the other day and she almost laughed as Kathrine's simple explanation was 'He's a jerk and jerks get to sleep alone'. Kathrine didn't fully explain what their fight was about and Antoinette thinks it might have something to do with Meg being there because Kathrine was obviously looking for ways to describe the situation as mild as possible. They had dinner and tea together.

As she looked after the two girls many hours later she found Meg wrapped up in Kathrine's embrace. Despite the Soprano's early attempts to flirt with her daughter, there was nothing of that in their embrace. It was more like Kat grew into something like an older sister to Meg over the month she's been here. To think that it is only a month ago that Kathrine and her class came here is hard to imagine, it seems like a much longer time.

Kathrine left around noon the next day and Madam took her not returning as a good sign. Of course it was to be expected that these both will fight a lot. They are both stubborn and full with pride. She is only glad that they seem to be fighting with words by now instead of using their fists. She wonders how many more times Kathrine will come to them in the future. They will see her more often as soon as they come back from England.

Just as they walk down the stairs, they see the Managers and Carlotta making their way to the door as well. Madam almost smirks at that. It is interesting to see how fond they all are of the rebellious Soprano. It is even more interesting that Kathrine managed to bond with the very Diva that hated her so much in the beginning for taking her place so effortlessly.

'' Madam, Miss. '' André greets with a polite smile that they return while Carlotta wordlessly walks past them and outside. The carriage is already there and it seems that all belongings were packed too, but something seems odd. It almost seems like Kathrine wanted to get in already even though she promised to say farewell to Madam and Meg.

'' Kat! '' The young woman stops in her attempt to climb into the carriage but she doesn't turn.

'' Are you alright? '' Madam asks and Kathrine's knuckles turn white at the force she must be grabbing the carriage with. Slowly Kathrine steps back down and turns towards them. She looks like she did not sleep for a while but that is not what is catching everyone's attention. Much more is it the pain in her eyes and the bruises all over her skin. Especially the familiar hand prints on her throat lure a gasp from several lips.

'' Miss Jones… what happened? '' Monsieur Firmin asks while André stares at the marks on her throat in shock. Out of the corners of her eyes, Antoinette can see how Meg covers her mouth with her hands. Kathrine takes a few steps closer to them, her eyes meeting with Madam's,

'' You know where he is, don't you? '' Kathrine asks her but Antoinette needs a moment to properly grasp what the young woman said.

'' I do not understand- ''

'' You don't have to tell me. I don't run after people… But if you see him you can tell him he finally gets what he always wanted. '' She pauses to offer a bitter smile, her voice suddenly rough,

'' He's gonna be alone for the rest of his life. ''

'' Sorry…'' She whispers to Meg before stepping into the carriage without giving anybody else the chance to say anything. The carriage starts moving and suddenly everybody becomes aware of the possibility that this might have been the last time that they have seen her. Because with the way she stood in front of them, something very bad must have happened. Because she was not wearing the ring. Madam Giry doesn't look after the carriage like everybody else is. She turns and rushes down into the Chapel.

'' Erik! What have you done! ''

'' I know that you can hear me! Stop acting like an infant and answer me! '' She turns as she hears the window opening behind her. Erik slowly steps into the room and he looks even worse than Kathrine did. But this time there are no marks on his body, this time there is nobody telling her he was hurt as well. This time the abuse was only taken by Kathrine and she feels furious.

'' What have you done to her, Erik! ''

'' I left. ''

'' I am talking about the bruises! '' He winces, his voice a raspy whisper,

'' They are the reason why I left…''

'' Tell me what happened. '' As he makes no move to give her the explanation she demanded, she closes the distance between them,

'' Erik, I was not _asking_ for an explanation! '' Antoinette watches as he grits his teeth like a scolded child that is being punished for stealing candy. Just as she is ready to say something else, he speaks up, his eyes falling close while that as if looking at her would be too painful. Or too shameful?

''…We made love. And I left before she woke up…''

'' How did she get the bruises then? ''

'' While we made love… Kathrine… She found out that I… find pleasure in… hurting her. And she did not mind. But as I saw what I did to her in the morning I… knew I had to protect her from myself. So I left. I knew she would not return once she was back in England because she would realize that she should be far away from me. ''

'' She gave her consent? ''

'' Clearly, yes. She allowed me to do this to her… It was… not right. I should have resisted. '' Madam Giry feels the urge to rub her face,

'' Then you will ride after her on this _instant_ and _beg_ _her_ _for_ _forgiveness_ on you knees. ''

'' Antoinette you saw what I did to her. How can you tell me to go after her so that the danger of me doing it again is given?! '' She growls now in frustration,

'' Because people _do_ these things, Erik. _Many_ people do these things. As long as she gave her content, it is completely fine. It is a form to do _these_ things! Now go and ride after her! '' He shakes his head and she cannot say for sure if he really understood what she told him or if he ignored her,

'' No. You could not see her Antoinette… She is… She is marvelous and I…- ''

'' Kathrine does not feel any repulsion for your face Erik! She loves you for who you are and you are breaking her heart for no reason! ''

'' Her heart would not be affected by me… I manipulated her into loving me. And I needed too long to let her go. She deserves so much better than me. '' Madam feels like ripping that brilliant daft head right off his shoulders,

'' Erik you are by far the thickest human being I have ever met and right now I refuse to keep talking to you for I cannot promise I will be able to stay polite should I remain just a second longer in your company! Just know that you are ruining not only your own life with this! '' She turns to walk away.

'' Antoinette- '' As he speaks up she turns back to him, her eyes hard,

'' There are certain things I cannot forgive you for. This is one of them. '' Suddenly his expression hardens and the pain vanishes from his voice,

'' So be it. '' With that he leaves and she knows that she will not hear from him for a long while now. Maybe not even the Opera will…

* * *

OH MY GOD! I have actually made it to the end, I can't believe it. Honestly.

I'm writing the second part for a while now... And I swear I'll kick my own ass to post more often than once a year.

The second part will play over a long period of time so there will be time skips. Maybe I'll do a chapter for each event and write a date to it.

If I get to it, I might post chapter one soon.

In case you are interested in that, it's called:

 **Don't Let Me Get Me**

Please take the time to write me some Reviews because those are my secret lovers.

I hope you enjoyed the story and I hope I'll be seeing you again in the second and last part!


	22. UPDATE

**UPDATE!**

Chapter 1 of _Don't Let Me Get Me_ is now up!


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